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j                                            Division 
Section 
Number 

o 


CO 


The  nature  and  DESIGN  of  a  CHRISTIAN 
CHURCH. 


I     Co  R  I  N.    i.     2. 

Ufifo  the  Church  of  God,  which  is  at  Corinth ;  to  them 
who  are  fan£iijiedin  Chriji  J  ejus,  called  to  he  faints^ 
with  all  that  in  every  place  call  upon  the  name  of  Jefus 
Chriji  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours, 

rH AT  we  may  better  underftand  the  apoftle's  idea 
of  a  church  of  God,  we  muft  bear  in  mind  that 
the  Corinthians,  before  the  gofpel  was  preached  among 
them,  were  gentiles  carried  away  unto  dunw  idols,  even  as 
ihey  were  led.  Thofe  of  them  who  received  the  doc- 
trine preached  by  the  apoflles,  renounced  the  idola- 
trous forms  and  places  of  worfhip,  and  united  togeth- 
er to  worfhip  God  through  Jefus  Chrift,  in  the  manner 
which  the  gofpel  prefcribes.  Thefe  are  called  a  church, 
which  in  the  original  language,  properly  fignifies  a 
fele^  company,  or  an  aflembly  called  forth  from  the 
.  reft  of  mankind  for  fome  particular  purpofe,  more  ef- 
pecially  for  the  purpofe  of  religious  worfhip.  The 
church  in  Corinth  was  that  number  of  perfons,  who 
had  come  out  from  among  their  idolatrous  fellow-ci- 
tizens for  the  true  worfhip  of  God  in  Chrifl. 

The  apoftle  defcribes  them,  as  fan£}ified  in  Chrift 
Jefus,  and  called  to  be  faints.  We  cannot  fuppofe,  that, 
by  this  defcription,  he  intended  to  reprefent  all  the 


members  of  the  Corinthian  church  to  be  gracious,  godly 
perfons  :  many  paflages,  in  this  and  his  fecond  epiftle 
to  them,  import  that  he  thought  otherwife  ;  but  thefe 
phrafes  rather  lignify,  that  they  had  been  called  out  of 
the  world,  and  feparated  from  others,  that  they  might 
be  a  peculiar  people  to  God.  'They  were  called  to  be 
holy.  The  viOxdi^^janSltjied,  faints,  and  holy,  applied  to 
bodies  of  men,  are  ufually  to  be  taken  in  the  fame 
general  fenfe,  as  chrijlransy  dijciples,  and  brethren ;  to 
exprefs  their  vifible  relation  and  profejfi  d  charader, 
rather  than  a  certain  judgment  concerning  their  ha- 
bitual temper.  The  fabbath,  the  temple,  its  utenlils, 
and  the  ground  on  which  it  ftood,  are  called  holy,  and 
faid  to  hQ  fan^ified^  becaufe  they  were  feparated  from 
a  common  to  a  facred  ufc.  The  nation  of  the  Jews,  in 
which,  at  its  bell  ftate,  were  great  numbers  of  ungodly 
men,  is  called  holy,  as  being  Separated  from  other  na- 
tions, for  the  fervice  of  the  true  God.  Mofes  fays — 
Te  are  a  holy  people  to  the  Lord,  a  peculiar  treajure,  a  king- 
dom oj  priejts.  So  the  chriftian  church  is  called  a  cho- 
Jen  generation,  a  royal  priefthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar 
people.  The  word  faints,  in  many  places  ftands  op- 
pofed,  not  to  unfound  Chriftians,  but  to  the  heathen 
world,  particularly  in  the  paflages,  which  fpeak  of  per- 
fecution  againft  the  faints,  of  m.iniftering  to  thefaints, 
and  of  diftributingtotheneceflitics  ofthe/rt/;?/^  ;  and 
in  that  remarkable  paiTage  which  denominates  the 
children  of  a  believer  ijo/)',  in  diftincftion  from  the  chil- 
dren of  the  unbelieving,  who  are  called  unclean. 

The  apoftle  farther  defcribes  the  Corinthian  church, 
as  confiding  of  thofe  who  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jefus  Chriji  ;  who  own  him  to  be  their  Lord  and  Sa- 
viour, profefs  to  hope  for  falvation  through  him  and 
worlhip  God  in  his  name. 

He  dire(fts  his  epifile  to  all,  who,  in  every  pla^e,  call 
nn  the  name  ofCh\  ijl  Jefus  the  Lord,  both  theirs,  and  ours. 
In  this  addrefs,  he  fignifies,  that  there  is  a  facred  re- 


lation  fubfifting  among  all  Chriflians  in  every  place, 
and  that,  as  they  profefs  fubjedion  to  one  common 
Lord,  fo  they  ought  to  maintain  communion  one  with 
another. 

The  words  of  our  text  will  naturally  lead  lis  to 
confider, 

I.  The  itature  of  a  church  of  God. 

II.  The  end  of  its  inftitution. 

III.  The  relation  which  chtUrenhcRr  to  it. 

IV.  The  qualifications  requifite  for  admiflion  into 
it.     And, 

V.  The  felloiv/hipy  which  ought  to  fublift  among 
its  members. 

I.  We  are  to  confider  the  nature  of  a  church  of 
God. 

Its  general  nature,  as  a  feledl  company,  called 
forth  from  the  world,  for  the  worlhip  and  fcrvice  of 
God,  we  have  already  ftated  in  the  opening  of  our  text. 
Some  further  illuftrations,  however,  will  be  necclTary. 

The  church  is  fometimes  diflinguifhcd  into  the  in- 
vifibky  and  the  vifihle  church.  By  the  invifible  church, 
is  intended  the  whole  number  of  real  faints  in  all  pla- 
ces and  ages  ;  the  whole  family  in  Heaven  and  earth ; 
thofe  whom  Chrilt  will  gather  together  in  one  body  in 
Heaven.  This  is  that  mount  Sion,  the  city  of  the 
LIVING  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  which  con- 
lifts  of  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  the  fpirits 
of  juft:  men  made  perfed,  and  the  general  affembly  and 
church  of  the  firft-born,  who  were  enrolled  in  Hea- 
ven By  the  vijible  church  are  meant  all  thofe  who 
have  been  vifibly  dedicated  to  God  in  Chriff,  and  have 
not,  by  infidelity,  herefy,  or  fcandal,  cut  themfelves  off 
from  the  fociety  of  Chriftians ;  or,  in  the  words  of  our 


apolUe,  all  who,  in  every  place ,  call  on  the  name  of  J  ejus 
Chrift  our  Lord. 

The  vifible  church  is  again  diftinguifhed  into  the  cath^ 
olic  or  general  church,  and  into  localor  particular  church- 
es. The  word  IS  often  ufed  to  denote  all  the  profejfed 
people  of  God  in  all  nations  and  ages.  In  this  large 
ienfe  it  is  to  be  underftood,  when  Chrift  is  faid  -o  be 
made  head  of  the  church,  and  the  church  is  delcribed 
as  fubjed  to  him.  The  whole  Jewifh  nation,  which 
was  chofen  of  God,  to  be  a  peculiar  people  to  himfeif, 
is  called  the  church.  It  is  faid  of  Moles — He  zvas  in 
the  church  in  the  wildernejs. 

When  this  people,  by  their  great  and  increafing 
corruption,  were  ripening  apace  for  deftrudlion,  God 
fent  his  own  Son,  the  promifed  Redeemer  to  relcue 
from  ruin  his  linking  church,  and  place  it  on  a  larger 
and  furer  ellablilliment.  By  his  teaching,  and  the 
miniftry  of  his  apoftles,  who  were  trained  up  under 
his  immediate  difcipline,  a  confiderable  number  of 
fubjeds  were  gamed  over  to  his  kingdom,  while  he  was 
on  earth.  Juft  before  his  afcenlion,  he  gave  rhefe  apof- 
tles  a  commiffion  to  go  forth,  and  fpread  his  doctrine, 
and  collect  fubjecls  among  all  nations.  His  church, 
which  before  ftood  on  the  foundation  of  the  prophets, 
now  ftands  on  the  foundaiion  of  the  apoftles  alio,  he 
himfeif  being  the  corner  ftone,  in  which  both  parts  of 
the  foundation  meet  and  are  united.  The  church  was 
formerly  limited  to  one  nation,  but  now  it  is  indifcrim* 
inately  extended  to  ail.  In  the  city  of  Jerufalem  there 
were  many,  who,  before  the  dcfcent  "of  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  conforted  for  the  worfhip  of  God  in  Chrift. 
To  thefe  were  foon  added  multitudes,  wh©  continued 
in  the  apoftles'  uoChme  and  fellowftiip,  and  in  break- 
ing of  bread  and  in  prayers.  They  were  called  the 
church.  After  the  gofpel  was  fpread  to  fuch  an  extent, 
that  it  was  no  longer  poflible  for  all  the  believers  to 
attend  the  worftiip  of  God  in  the  fame  place,  particu- 


iar  religious  focieties,  in  divers  places,  were  formed  for 
the  convenience  of  worfhip,  each  of  which  had  the 
name  of  ^  chunK 

These  focieties  of  Chriftians,  united  in  different 
places  for  mutual  edification  in  the  joint  worfl-iip  of 
God,  are  what  we  mean  by /)i?r//V^^/^/r  churches,  in  dif- 
tinclion  from  the  catholic  or  univerjal  church.  Thus 
the  Chriftians  in  Corinth,  thofe  in  Galada,  thofe  in 
Ephefus,  thofe  m  ThelTalonica,  are  called  a  church. 
But  as  all  thefe  particular  churches  received  the  fame 
gofpci,  maintained  the  fame  form  of  worlhip,  and  pro- 
feffed  fubjedion  to  the  fame  Lord,  fo  they  are  often 
confidered  as  <?;/<?  church.  Though  we  read  of  many 
churches,  yet  thefe  are  only  fo  many  different  parts  of 
the  fame  univerfal  church — They  are  members  of  the 
fame  great  body,  apartments  of  the  f^me  houfe,  prov- 
inces of  the  fame  empire.  With  regard  to  their  feve- 
ral  jurifdidlions  and  places  of  worihip,  they  are  dif- 
tind: ;  but  yet  one  in  the  main,  a>5  they  call  on  the  fame 
Jefus,  their  common  Saviour  a|id  Lord. 

As  there  was  in  the  apoflolic  times,  fo  there  is  now, 
frequent  occafion  for  new  churches  to  be  formed  : 
but  from  the  preceding  oblervations,  it  appears,  that 
whenever  a  new  church  is  erected,  careful  regard 
iliould  be  had  to  her  communion  wi;h  other  churches 
as  well  as  to  the  communion  of  her  own  members 
among  themfelves  ;  otherwife  the  body  of  Chrift  is  di- 
vided, and  the  bond  of  peace  is  broken. 

Among  the  members  of  every  particular  church, 
there  is  always  fuppofed  to  be  a  Iblemn  covenant  and 
agreement  to  walk  together  in  the  commands  and  or- 
dinances of  Chrift,  to  watch  over  one  another  in  meek- 
nefs  and  love,  and  to  be  fellow-lielpers  to  the  king- 
dom of  God.  The  church  in  Corinih  is  faid  to  coyne 
together  iPto  one  plac.  The  church  in  Jerufalero  is 
cautioned?/<?/  ioforjake  the  ajfembling  of  themfelves  to- 


8 

getherv  an<^  required,  to  exhort  one  another^  and  to  con- 
fiderme  arotheVy  that  they  may  provoke  to  love  and  to  good 
works.  And  Chriftians  are  enjoined  to  bejt^je^  one  to 
another. 

The  covenant  between  the  members  of  a  particu- 
lar church,  to  walk  together  in  the  ordinances  of 
Chrift,  is  of  facred  obligation  ;  and  when  any  of  them 
have  occalion  to  remove  to  another  church,  they  fhould 
do  it  in  a  manner  confiftent  with  Chriflian  order, 
peace  and  communion.  When  a  number  of  Chrif- 
tians unite  in  a  new  church,  ftill  they  muft  conlider 
themfelves  as  members  of  the  general  body,  and  feek, 
not  merely  their  own  profit  but  the  profit  of  many. 

II.  The  end  for  which  a  church  was  inftituted,  and 
the  purpofe  for  which  we  are  called  mto  it,  is  what  we 
propofed,  in  the  fecond  place,  to  confider. 

Christ's  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  As  the 
nature,  fo  the  defign  of  it  is  purely  fpiritual ;  it  is,  that 
in  the  enjoyment  of  fuitable  means  we  may  be  trained 
up  in  knowledge  and  holinefs  ;  and  thus  formed  to  a 
meetnefs  for  future  glory. 

It  is  faid,  the  Lord  added  to  the  church  daily  Juch  as 
Jhould  be  faved.  This  is  not  to  be  underftood  as  im- 
porting, that  all  who  joined  themfelves  to  the  church 
were  finally  faved.  There  were  in  that,  as  there  are 
in  all  ages,  many  who  call  Chrift  their  Lord,  and  eat  and 
drink  in  his  prcfence,  but  ftill  are  workers  of  iniquity. 
But  they  are  called  the  faved,  becaufe  they  are  admit- 
ted to  the  offers  and  means  of  falvation.  In  this  fenfe 
alfo,  baptifm  is  faid  to  fave  us ;  not  as  conveying  an 
immediate  right  to  falvation,  but  as  being  the  appoin- 
ted wayof  introdudlion  into  the  vifible  church,  where 
the  means  of  falvation  are  afforded.  In  the  fame  fenfe 
we  are  to  underftand  thofe  palTages,  where  falvation 
ispromifed  to  whole  families  on  the  faith  of  the  head. 
Not  that  h:s  faith  entitles  them  to  eternal  life^'but  that 


it  brings  them  info  the  vifible  church,  and  to  the 
enjoynnent  of  the  means  of  falvation.  Nml\  by  faiths 
prepared  an  ark  tQ  the  faving  of  his  houje  ;  the  like  fgure 
whcrmntOi  even  bapiifm  doib  now  fave  us. 

As  without  hoHnefs,  none  can  be  admitted  into 
God's  heavenly  kingdom,  Chr'ijl  gave  himfelffor  ihe 
churchy  that  he  might  fan^ if y  and  clcanje  it  %mth  the  zvaJJj- 
ing  of  wa  ter  by  the  word,  that  he  might  prefent  it  to  him- 
Jdf  a  glorious  church,  not  loavingfp'A  or  wrinkle,  or  any 
juch  thing  J  but  that  it  Jljould  be  holy  and  without  I'lemijl'. 
The  church,  in  our  text,  is  defcribed,  as  confiding  of 
thafe  who  are  called  to  he  holy.  Chrift  has  fct  in  his 
church  teachers  for  her  edification,  that  zve  might  all conu^ 
in  the  unity  of  faith  and  knowledge^  to  the  meafure  of  the 
fiature  of  the  fulnefs  of  Chrift  ,•  and  prcfcl/ing  the  truth  in 
love,  might  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things. 

Love  is  a  moft  important  branch  of  gofpel  holi- 
nefs.  Chriflians  are  chofen  in  Chrifl^  that  they  might  he 
holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love  j  and  might 
purify  their  fouls  in  obeying  the  truth,  through  the  fpirit, 
Unto  unfeigned  love  of  the  brethren.  Chrift  has,  there- 
fore, appointed  that  his  difciples,  dwelling  together  in 
focial  connexion,  and  maintaining  fellowfhip  in  reli- 
gious duties,  Ihould  increale  and  abound  in  love  one 
toward  another,  and  toward  all  men.  They  arc  dired:- 
ed  to  forbear  one  another  in  love,  and  keep  /he  unity  of  the 
fptrit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  becaufe  there  is  one  body,  or 
church,  of  which  they  are  all  members,  and  one  fpirit, 
one  Lord, one  faith,  and  one  haptifm.  In  order  to  their 
enjo>ingthe  grace  of  God,  for  their  increafe  and  edi- 
fication, they  mu{>,  like  the  parts  of  a  building,  be 
fitly  framed  into  each  other,  and  be  hnilded  together  for  an 
habitation  of  God  through  the  fpirit. 

Having  illuflrated  the  nature  and  defign  of  a 
church  of  God,  wc  will  now  attend  to  the  next  propo- 
fed  enquiry. 

III.  What  relation  childroi  bear  to  the  church  ? 
•      *    B 


10 

This  will  be  neccfikry,  previouily  to  our  ftatingthe 
qualifications  of  adult  profelytcs. 

When  firfl:  the  apofllcs  went  forth  to  preach  the 
gofpel,  and  creel  churches  in  the  world,  mankind  in 
general  were  in  a  {\i\ic  o^  heathenifm,oi  judaifm  i  and, 
either  had  not  heard  of  the  gofpel,  or  did  not  believe  it 
to  be  divine.  From  among  thefe,  were  they  to  make 
profe'ytes  to  Chrillianity. 

What  they  required  of  the  profelytes,  whom  they 
admitted  into  the  church  of  God,  was  a  profefled  be- 
lief that  Jefus  was  the  Chrift,  the  Son  of  God.     This 

\  profeiiion  of  faith  in  Chrift  neceflarily  implied  a  prom- 

'  ife  of  obedience  to  him. 

Now  as  the  apoftles  admitted  adult  profelytes  into 
,'  the  church  by  baptifm,  fo  there  is  fufficient  ground  to 
believe,  that  tlfey  admitted  to  this  ordinance  the  chil- 
dren of  profel)  tes,  in  token  of  God's  merciful  regard 
to  them,  and  of  their  parents'  obligation  to  bring  them 
up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  In  this 
general  fenfe,  the  baptifed  offspring  of  believers  are 
within  the  church  ;  having  God's  covenant-feal  upon 
them,  and  being  under  the  care  of  thofe  who  have 
covenanted  to  bring  them  up  for  him. 

As  many  as  arc  comprehended  with.n  God's  cove- 
\  nanr,  and  are  the  fubjedts  of  its  gracious  promifes,  un- 
'  deniably  belong  to  the  church  ;  for  this  is  founded  on 
!   the  covenant.     That  the  children  of  profelied  believ- 
ers are  within  the  covenant,  is  evident  from  pallages 
of  fcripturc,  too  numerous  to  be  here  particularly  reci- 
ted.    The  promife  to  Abraham  was  made  alfo  to  his 
infant  feed,  v/ho  were  to  receive  the  feal  and  token  of 
the  promife,  as   well  as  he  ;  and  as  many  as  received 
it  not,  were  faid  to  have  broken  God's  covenant;  and 
thefe  were  to  be  cut  off,  or  excluded  from  among  their 
people.     Had  they  not  been  within  the  covenant,,  ard 


ir 

among  the  people  of  God,  their  want  of  the  feal  could 
not  have  been  a  breach  of  the  covenani,  or  an  exclu- 
fion  from  the  people.  Mofes  fays  to  the  congrega- 
tioii  of  Ifrael,  7e  Jland  all  of  you  before  the  Lord  your 
God — all  the  men  of  Ifrael^your  little  ones  and  your  wives — 
that  thouffjouidjl  enter  into  covcvant  ivth  the  Lord  thy 
Gody  that  he  may  ejhiblifb  thee  for  a  people  to  himfelf  as 
he  hath  [worn  to  Abraham.  Exprefs  promifes  are  made 
to  children,  as  the  feed  of  thofe  who  are  in  covenant ; 
particularly  the  promife  of  God's  word,  and  of  his 
fplrit.  God  eftahltjhed  a  teflimony  in  Jacob ^  zvhtch  he  com- 
manded the  fathers y  that  they  fbould  make  it  kno'u:n  to  their 
children^  that  the  generation  to  come  might-  alfo  know  it, 
Circumcifion  has  much  the  advantage  every  zvay,  chiefly 
hecauf:  to  them  are  c&mmitted  the  oracles  of  God.  To  Ja- 
cob hisfervani^andto  Ifrael  his  chofen^  God  promifes, 
I  will  pour  my  fpirit  on  thy  feed ^  and  my  blcjjing  en  thine 
offsprings  and  they  fball fpring  up  as  among  the  gyafs^  and 
as  willows  by  the  zvater-coiirfes.  Tiiis  is  God's  cove- 
nant with  them  who  turn  from  tranfgrdlion  in  Jacob. 
My  fpirit  which  is  upon  theCy  and  my  words  which  I  have 
put  in  thy  mouthyfhail  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouthy  nor  out 
of  the  mouth  of  thy  feed.  Infants  are  called  the  chil- 
dren of  the  church ;  and  the  gentiles  are  defcribcd  in 
prophecy,  as  coming  to  the  church  with  their  children 
in  their  arms.  All  thefe  gather  thcfnfclves  together  and 
come  to  thee  ;  to  Zion,  God's  church,  tbcyjhall  bring  thy 
fons  in  their  armsy  and  thy  daughters  Jhall  be  carried  on 
their  fhoulders.  The  children  of  thofe  who  are  in  cove- 
nant, are  diflinguifhed  from  others  as  God's  children, 
born  unto  him.  God  fays  to  his  ancjent  church,  I  en- 
tered into  coven  aat  with  iheCy  and  thou  be  came  ft  mine — 
but  thou  hafi  taken  thy  fons  and  thy  daughters^  which  thou 
hajl  born  unto  mCy  and  haft  facrifc'  d  them  :  thou  haft  flain 
7ny  children.  It  is  foretold,  that  in  the  time  of  the 
church's  profperity,  the  people  f!j all  nrA  labor  in  vain^  7ior 
bring  forth  for  t  rouble  ^  for  they  are  the  feed  oflhebleft'cd  of 
the  Lordy  and  their  offspring  zvith  them.  The  Redeemer 
is  defcribed  by  Ifaiah,   as  one  zvho  ftjallfeed  his  flock 


like  aJJjepherd,  andjhall  oaiher  the  lamhs  zvith  bis  armSy 
and  carry  them  in  bis  hofom.  When  he  appeared  on 
earth,  he  commanded  ihac  children  Ihould  be  brought 
to  him  :  thofe  who  were  brought,  he  rook  into  his  arms, 
and  bleffcd,  dcclaiing  them  lubjeds  to  his  kingdom. 
But  in  what  fenlc  are  they  fuch,  if  ihey  belong  isoi  to 
his  church,  but  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan  ?  When 
Chrifl  inftituted  the  ordinance  of  baptifm,  he  pointed 
out  the  fubjeds  of  it  in  fuch  general  terms,  as  might 
naturally  be  luppofed  to  include  children  ;  and  his 
apofiles,  who  knew  how  he  had  ever  treated  children, 
who  had  heard  his  directions  concerning  them,  and 
who  could  not  be  ignorant,  that,  under  former  difpen- 
fations  of  the  covenant,  children  were  comprehended 
with  their  parents,  mult  underftand  them  to  be  inclu- 
ded in  this  inftrudiion,  difciple  all  nations,  baptizing  thi  m. 
Accordmgly,  in  the  firlt  inftance  of  their  adminiiler- 
ing  baptifm,  after  this  commiflion,  they  placed  the 
leafon  of  ir,  and  the  right  to  it,  on  a  balis  which  alike 
fupports  the  baptifm  of  believers,  and  of  their  children. 
Repent  and  be  baptized  for  the  nmiffionofJinSy  and yt  JIj  all 
receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Gbojl,  for  the  prcmife  is  to  you 
and  to  your  children.  They  coniidercd  the  children  of 
believers  as  holy,  \x\  dillindion  from  the  children  of 
unbelievers.  And  it  appears  to  have  been  their 
pradice,  when  they  baptized  a  believing  houfeholder, 
to  baptize  alfo  his  houfehold — thofe  who  were  his,  and 
under  his  government.  And  it  is  obferveable,  that 
pmongall  the  inflances  of  baptifm,  mentioned  in  the 
New  Teftament,  we  find  not  one  baptized  at  adult 
age,  who  appears  to  have  been  born  of  Chriftian  pa- 
rents ;  but  they  were  all  profelytes  from  judaifm,  or 
from  heat  hem  fin. 

Our  Englifti  word  chui^ch,  fignifies  the  houfe,  or 
familj  of  the  Lord.  It  is  a  well-chofen  word  ;  for 
the  church  is  often  called  a  fiynily  or  houfehold.  But 
who  needs  to  be  told,  that  children  are  members  of 
the  family  in  which  they  arc  born  ?  It  is  often  called 


13 

a  cityy  a  nation^  a  people.  But  w  ho  ever  imagined  that 
thefe  terms  excluded  children?  If  a  city  is  incorpo- 
rated, are  nor  children  members  of  the  corporation, 
as  well  as  their  parents  ?  If  a  privilege  is  granted  to 
a  people,  do  not  children  become  intitled  to  it?'  If  a 
form  of  government  is  fettled  in  a  nation,  do  not  chil- 
dren come  under  the  form. 

You  will  afk,  how  can  children  be  brought  within 
the  church  without  their  own  confent  ?  But  as  well  may 
you  allv,  how  fhould  they  be  born  under  the  gofpel  ; 
or  how  lliould  they  be  created  rational  beings,  with- 
out their  own  confent  ?  If  rt  is  a  privilege  to  enjoy  the 
example,  inftruiftion  and  prayers  of  good  men,  and  to 
be  placed  under  the  rare  of  thofe  who  are  folem^pJy 
bound  to  give  them  a  pious  education,  then  it  is  a  pri- 
vilege to  be  born  within  the  church,  and  to  receive  in 
childhood  the  feal  of  the  covenant.  And  will  any 
complain,  that  God  beftows  on  them  mercies,  before 
they  had  confcnted  to  take  them. 

Certain  religious  duties  are  incumbent  on  chil- 
dren, as  foon  as  they  arrive  to  a  natural  capacity  to 
perform  them.  But  has  not  God  a  right  to  enjoin  fuch 
duties  as  his  wifdom  fees  fit  ?  Muft  he  confult  his 
creatures,  to  know  what  laws  he  may  make  for  them  ? 
Was  not  the  covenant  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  made 
with  little  ones,  as  well  as  with  the  men  of  Ifrael  ? 
With  thofe  who  are  not,  as  well  as  with  thofe  who 
were  then  prefent  ?  Are  there  not  moral  obligations 
which  refult  from  our  rational  nature,  and  from  our 
place  in  the  creation  as  v/ell  as  from  our  fpecial  covenant 
relatijon  to  God  ?  Shall  we  conclude  that  all  thefe  ob- 
ligations are  void,  for  want  of  our  previous  confent  ? 
To  the  validity  of  contrads  between  man  and  man, 
who  ftand  on  the  foot  of  equality,  mutual  confent  is 
ncccfTary  :  But  God  is  a  fovercign,  and  *  his  covenant 
he  commands  us.'  When  he  promifcs  us  blefiings,  and 
enjoins  duties  as  conditions  of  the  blefiings,  he  Hates 


to  us  the  tenor  of  his  covenant,  and»  by  his  fupreme 
authority,  brings  us  under  the  obligations  of  it,  wheth- 
er we  have  confented  to  it,  or  not. 

Now  if  the  children  of  believers  are  under  the  cove- 
nant, and  within  the  church  of  God,  they  ought  to  re- 
ceive the  feal  and  token  of  their  relation  to  him  ;  to 
be  taught,  as  foon  as  they  are  able  to  underftand,  the 
nature  of  religion  ;  and  to  be  conlidered,  when  they 
come  forward  in  bfe,  as  under  the  watch  of  the  church. 
They  fhould  be  nurfed  at  her  lide ;  and,  when  they 
have  competency  of  knowledge,  fhould  be  invited  to 
her  acftual  communion.  If  they  behave  in  a  manner 
unworthy  of  their  relation,  they  fhould  be  treated  with, 
and  exhorted  to  repentance.  If  they  prove  contu- 
macious and  incorrigible,  they  are,  after  due  patience 
to  be  cut  off  from  iheir  people.  Such  appears  to  be 
the  flate  of  children. 

IV.  We  proceed  to  enquire,  what  qualifications  arc 
requifite  for  the  admiflion  of  adults  into  the  church, 
and  for  their  enjoyment  of  all  gofpel  ordinances  ? 

The  queflion  is  twofold  :  Firjly  What  a  church 
ought  to  require  of  thofe  whom  fhe  admits  to  her  com- 
munion ?  And,  Secondly^  What  qualifications  a  per- 
fon  mufl  find  in  himfelf  to  jufiify  his  coming  to  the 
communion  ? 

The  firft  queflion  is.  What  a  church  ought  to  re- 
quire cf  thofe  whom  fhe  admits  to  her  communion? 

The  anfwer  in  general  is.  She  is  to  require  the  fame 
as  the  apoftles  required. 

Those  whom  the  apoftles  admitted  to  fellowfhip 
with  them  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayer,  bemg 
firfl  inftruded  in  thedodnnes  and  evidences  of  Chrif- 
tianity,  profefTed  to  believe,  that  ibis  was  a  divine  re- 
ligion. 


The  Jews,  vrho  were  baptized  on  the  day  of  pente- 
coft,  gladly  received  the  word  of  the  gofpel.  The 
eunuch,  who  was  baptized  by  Philip,  declared  his  be- 
lief, that  Jefus  was  the  Son  of  God.  The  heart  of 
Lydia  was  opened  to  attend  to  thedodrine  of  Paul  ;'and 
Hie  was  judged  faithful  to  the  Lord.  The  jay  lor  is  faid 
to  have  believed  in  God.  When  the  people  of  Sama- 
ria believed  Philip,  preach. ng  the  things  concerning 
the  kingdom  of  God,  they  were  baptized,  both  men 
and  women. 

The  churches  were  enjoined  to  put  away  from  among 
them,  thofe  wicked  perfons  who  would  not  be  reclaim- 
ed. We  may,  therefore,  conclude,  that  fuch  were  not 
received  wirhout  a  profeffion  of  repentance. 

A  Chriftian  church  is,  then,  to  require  of  thofe, 
whom  (he  admits  to  her  communion,  thefe  three  things  ; 
a  competent  knowledge  of  the  elTential  doctrines  and 
precepts  of  religion  ;  a  profefTed  belief  of,  and  fub-  j 
jedion  to  them  ;  and  a  blamelefs  converlation  ;  or, 
where  this  had  been  wanting,  a  profeffion  of  repentance. 
Thele  things  are,  in  the  nature  of  the  cafe,  neceffary  ; 
for  it  is  palpably  abfurd  for  a  man  to  join  himfelf  to  a 
Chriftian  church,  and  attend  upon  its  ordinances,  un- 
lefs  he  underftands  the  nature,  and  believes  the  truth 
of  that  religion  on  which  it  is  founded  ;  and  has  fuch  i 
a  fenfe  of  its  importance,  as  to  reJolve  that  he  will  be  i 
governed  by  it.  And  every  perfon  of  competent 
knowledge,  a  good  profeffion,  and  a  correfpondent  life, 
has  a  right,  in  the  view  of  the  church,  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  gofpel  ordinances,  whenever  he  claims  it. 

Whatever  may  be  the  opinion  of  a  church,  con- 
cerning theneceffity  of  faving  grace  to  qualify  one,  in 
the  light  of  God,  for  Chriliian  communion,  flie  cannot 
juftly  exclude,  the  per  Ion  we  have  defcribed  ;  becaufc 
a  good  prof,  ffion,  and  a  converfation  agreeable  to  it,  is 
all  the  evidence  which  {tie  can  have  in  his  favor.     She  ' 


i6 

can  judge  the  heart  only  by  vifiblc  fruits.  The  (ion- 
troverfy  concerning  the  neceflity  of  internal  holinefs, 
in  the  prefent  cafe,  can  have  no  reference  to  the  real 
pradice  of  the  church,  in  admitting  members  ;  for 
whether  Ihe  judges  this  to  be  a  neceflary  qualification 
or  not,  ftill  fhe  muft  condud  in  the  fame  manner,  and 
admit  the  fame  pcrfons.  Namely,  thofe,  and  only 
thofe,  who  have  fufficient  knowledge  of  ihegofpel,  pro- 
fels  a  belief  of,  and  fubjedion  to  the  gofpel,  and  con- 
tradid  not  that  proftflion  by  an  ungodly  converfation. 
She  may,  perhaps,  think  proper  to  require  of  her 
members  a  particular  relation  of  their  Chriftian  expe- 
riences. But  be  this  relation  ever  fo  full,  flill  it  is  but 
the  evidence  of  words — of  a  good  profeffion.  The  re- 
al lincerity  of  the  heart,  after  all,  is  known  only  to  him, 
who  feeth  not  as  man  feeth. 

A  church  has  no  right,  on  mere  jealouf}\  to  exclude 
from  her  communion  any  one  who  offers  himfelf.  She 
muft  firft  make  it  appear,  that  he  is,  by  ignorance,  he- 
refy  or  wickednefs,  difqualified  for  communion.  It 
is  not  incumbent  on  him  to  demonftrate  his  inward 
grace ;  but  on  the  church  to  prove  his  want  of  it. 
The  burden  of  proof,  in  this  cafe,  lies  wholly  on  the 
church  ;  not  on  the  claimant.  If  one  claims  privileges, 
the  church  is  not  to  rejed  him,  in  a  fovereign,  ar- 
bitrary manner,  of  her  own  will,  without  offering  rea- 
fons  :  She  is  either  to  admit  him,  or  lliew  caufe 
why  Ihe  refufes.  If  ffic  ffiall  convid  him  of  any  dif- 
qualification,  ftillflie  is  not  to  treat  him  as  an  enemy, 
but  admonifh  him  as  a  brother  :  She  is  not  to  abandon 
him  at  once,  but  labor  for  his  amendment.  To  rejed 
claimants,  in  any  other  way,  than  by  conviction  on 
fair  and  open  trial,  is  to  fet  up  a  tyranny  m  the  church, 
which  Chrift  has  no  where  warranted.  It  is  to  iub- 
vert  that  liberty  with  which  Chrift  has  made  us  free. 
The  church  ought  to  caution  all  againll  h\  pocrify  and 
diffimulation  in  their  approaches  lo  divme  ordinances  ; 
but  fhe  is  not  to  affume  the  judgment  of  men's  hearts. 


17 

ralhly  intruding  into  things,  which  Ihe  has  not  feen, 
and  which  belong  only  to  God. 

We  are  to  aim  at  perfedion,  both  as  private  chrif- 
tians,  and  as  churches.  But  we  are  to  purfue  this  aim 
in  a  icriptural  wav  :  not  by  ufurping  God's  preroga- 
tive, or  by  excluding  from  our  charity  and  fellowfhip, 
all  who  hope  humbly  and  fpeak  modeftly  ;  all  who 
cannot  give  the  higheft  proof  of  their  godly  fincerity ; 
but  b>  cleanfing  ourfelves  from  all  filthinefsof  thefielh 
and  fpirit,  and  by  confidering  one  another  to  provoke 
unto  love  and  good  works. 

After  all,  there  will  be  bad,  as  well  as  good,  in 
Chriftian  focieties.  The  kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  a  net 
caft  into  the  ft  a,  which  gather  d  of  every  kind  ;  and  when 
it  was  full i  they  drew  it  tofhon^  and  gathered  the  good  in-- 
to  veffcls  and  caft  the  bad  away,  ^ofhall  it  be  in  the  end 
of  the  world  ;  then  the  wicked  f}j  all  be  fevered  from  among 
\h  jnft. 

Having  fhewn  what  a  church  is  to  require  of  thofe 
whom  (he  admits  o  her  communion,  v^e  proceed  to 
the  fecond  queftion. 

What  qualifications  a  perfon  mull  find  in  himfelf 
tojuftify  him  in  enceiing  into  the  church,  and  attend- 
ing on  all  gofpei  ordinances  ? 

That  we  may  bring  this  quedion  within  a  narrow 
compafs,  and  reduce  it  to  a  lingle  point,  it  will  be  ne- 
ceflary  ro  remove  fome  things,  which  have  often  been 
blended  with  ir,  and  occalioned  much  confulion  in 
thinking  and- arguing  upon  it. 

I.    The  queflion  is    not.  Whether   every   perfoii 
educated    under  the  gofpei,    is  in  diiiy  hound  to  arcnd 
on  a-l  divine  ordinances  iii  fome    Ci:iriftian  church  ? 
For  this  is  univerlally  grained. 
C 


Religion,  in  all  its  brandies,  is  indifpenlibly  en- 
joined on  all  men.  Chrift  calls  all  men  lo  be  his  dif- 
ciples,  to  profefs  ihemfelves  fuch,  and  to  ad  accord- 
ingly,, on  pain  of  ftn.il  rejedtion  from  his  prefcrice. 
No  man  can  free  him fclf  from  his  obligation  to  enter 
into  the  church,  any  more  than  he  can  free  himfelf 
from  his  obligation  to  prayer,  or  any  oiher  duty.  His 
•wickednel's  may  be  a  bnr  in  the  way  of  his  admiilion  ; 
but  it  cannot  be  an  excufe  for  his  voluntary  negledl. 
It  is  ablurd  to  fuppofe,  that  one's  fins  (liould  vacate 
his  obligations,  to  obedience.  They  who  apprehend 
that  they  have  no  right  to  the  communion  of  famts^ 
ought,  by  no  means,  to  make  themfelves  eafy  in  this 
ftate.  The  command  ft  11  extends  to  them  j  and  their 
immediate  concern  ihould  be,  to  repent  of  that  finful- 
nefs,  which  obftruds  their  compliance  with  it. 

2.  The  queftion  is  not.  Whether  one  ought  to 
come  to  the  communion  in  an  impenilent^  wicowoerted 
ftate  ;  for  no  man  is  allowed  to  continue  in  fiich  a 
ftate.  The  fcripture  never  piopoies,  or  anfwers  this 
queftion.  Whether  a  man  may  attend  on  this,  or  that 
ordinance,  while  he  remaii^s  impenitent  in  his  fins  ? 
becaufe  it  grants  no  man  permiflion  to  remain  fo  ;  but 
commands  all  men,  every  where,  to  repent.  It  re- 
quires them  to  V  erform  every  duty  in  a  pious  and  ho- 
ly manner.  It  allows  no  negled  of,  or  hypocrify  and 
formality  in  duty.  The  man,  who  calls  himfelf  a  fin- 
rer,  is  not  to  imagine,  that  the  fame  duties,  or  the  iamc 
tempers,  are  not  required  of  him,  as  of  odiers  ;  for  all 
are  required  to  be  holy  in  all  manner  of  convcrfation, 
and  to  be  deeply  humble  for  all  the  corruptions  of 
their  heart,  and  errors  of  their  life.     But, 

3.  It  will  be  faid,  though  no  man  ought  to  remain 
in  a  linful  ftate,  yet  there  are  many  who  know  them- 
felves to  be  in  fuch  a  ftate — many  who  evidently  find, 
that  thev  have  no  governing  regard  to  God  and  his 
command?,   but  are  under  the  prevailing  love  oi  iin 


^9 

and  the  world  :  Now,  ought  they,  while  they  perceive 
themfelvcs  to  be. in  this  ilate,  to  conie  mio  the  church 
and  attend  on  the  holy  communion  ? 

If  any  afk  this  queftion,  my  anfwer  is,  it  is  a  qiief- 
tion  in  which  no  body  is  concerned.  It  cannot  poffi- 
bly  be  a  cafe  of  ccnfcience  with  any  man.  The  per- 
fon  here  fup^ofed  is  one,  who  knows  himfelf  to  be  an 
habitual  Tinner  ;  one  who  has  no  governing  r^ard  to 
his  duty  ;  but  is  prevailingly  bent  to  wickcdnefs  ;  and, 
therefore,  he  cannor  be  fuppoi'ed  to  have  any  confcien- 
rious  folicitude  about  his  duty  in  chis  matter.  Itisabfurd 
to  imagine,  he  fnould  be  folicitous  to  know  and  do  his 
duty  here,  and  \  et  have  no  regard  to  it  in  any  thing  elic. 
If  in  other  external  acts  of  duty  he  is  influenced  by  un- 
worthy motives,  the  fame  unworthy  motives,  and  not  a 
regard  to  the  will  of  God,  would  influence  him  in  com- 
ing into  the  church.  The  queftion  is  merely  a  martcr 
of  fpcculation  ;  it  concerns  no  man's  practice.  One, 
who  lives  regardlefs  of  the  will  of  God  in  general,  is 
juft  as  regardlefs  of  it  in  the.cafe  under  confideration. 
He  does  not  wiQi  to  be  inftruded  in  the  matter,  that 
he  may  conform  to  the  divine  will  :  if  he  did,  he  v,ould 
be  as  careful  to  conform  to  it  in  things  which  are  al- 
ready plain.  The  fcripture  puts  no  fuch  cafe,  for  it 
is  not  a  fuppofable  cafe,  that  a  man,  whofe  heart  is  fet 
in  him  to  do  evil,  fliould  have  any  confcientious  fcru- 
ples  in  this  point,  or  any  other.  The  proper  anfwer 
to  fuch  an  enquirer  will  be,  you  arc  in  a  moft  awful 
ftate,  under  the  power  and  guilt  of  fin.  So  long  as 
you  live  in  fubjedion  to  the  flefh,  you  cannot  pleafe 
God.  You  are  expofed  to  everlafting  condemnation. 
Repent,  therefore,  of  your  wickednefs,  feck  God's  for- 
givenefs,  and  henceforward  walk  in  all  his  command- 
ments and  ordinances  blamelefs. 

4.  The  only  queffion  which  can  be  a  cafe  of  ccn- 
fcience, and  which  it  concerns  us  to  anfwer,  is  this — 
What  ^ferious  perfon  ought  to  do,  who  is  in  doubt  con- 
cerning his  fpiritual  dare  ? 


20 

He  believes  the  gof  pel  to  be  divine,  has  fome  fenfe 
of  its  importance,  and  feels  a  concern  to  obtain  the 
faivation  which  ir  brings,  l*:  is  his  defiie  to  k?  ow,  and 
his  purpofe  to  do,  the  will  of  God.  But  ft  ill  he  finds 
fo  many  corruptions  in  his  heart,  and  deviations  from 
duty  in  his  practice,  that  he  dares  not  conclude  himieif 
in  a  ftace  of  grace.  If  he  has  hopes,  they  are  mingled 
with  painful  fears. — Now  ought  fucha  perfon  to  come 
within  the  church,  and  participate  in  all  divine  ordi- 
nances ?  Or  is  he  to  delay  till  his  fears  aredifpelled  ? 

This  is  the  real  ftate  of  the  queftions  and  can  any 
helitate  what  anfwer  to  give  ? 

We  have  before  Ihewn,  that  the  purpofe  for  which 
men  are  called  into  a  church-fta;e  is  that,  :nthe  enjoy- 
ment of  fuitable  means,  they  ma\  be  trained  up  in 
knowledge  and  holinefs,  to  a  preparation  for  future 
glory.  And  if  we  have  the  fame  end  in  attending  on 
ordinances,  as  God  had  in  inftituting  them,  it  cannot 
be  doubted  but  we  are  qualified  for  the  enjoyment  of 
them.  If  then  we  can  fay,  our  end  in  coming  to  the 
communion  is,  that  we  may  conform  to  God's  will, 
may  be  in  the  way  of  his  bkfTing,  and  may  be  directed 
and  quickened  in  his  fervice,  we  are  undoubtedly  war- 
ranted to  approach  it. 

For  a  perfon  to  judge  whether  he  may  come  to  the 
com.m.union,  the  queltion  rather  is,  what  are  his  pre- 
fent  views,  delires  and  purpofes  ;  than  v.hat  is  the  ha- 
bitual ftate  of  his  ibul  ?  The  former  may  be  known  by 
immediate  inward  reflection  :  the  la  :er  is  ro  be  dif- 
covered  only  by  a  courfe  of  examination  and  experience. 

Let  us  now  attend  to  the  praclice  of  the  apoftles. 

The  Jews,  who  aflcmb'cd  at  the  temple  on  the  day 
of  pentecoll,  to  cclebrace  ihat  fcftival,  beheld  with  m- 
dignaaon,  and  treated  wuh  mockery,  the  miraculous 


gifts  of  the  fpirit,  then  bcflowcd  on  the  difciples  of 
Jeius,  in  confirmation  of  his  divine  authonts .  Peter, 
on  this  occafion,  rofeup,  and,  in  a  pertmeni  difccurfcj 
laid  before  them  fuch  ftrikmg  evidence  of  Jelus  being 
the  promifed  Mcfliah,  that  thoufands  \^ere  convinced 
of  their  great  guilt  in  rejecting  and  crucifying  the 
Lord  of  glory,  and  anxioullv  enquired  what  they  mull 
do  ?  Being  told,  that  they  muft  repent  and  be  baptiz- 
ed for  the  remiflion  of  fins,  they  gladly  received  the 
word,  and  were  baptized,  and  admitted  ''c  :he  apofVIe's 
fellowfhip.  It  is  rhe  doctrine  of  this  ame  Peter,  that, 
believers  muft  make  then  calling  and  elccflion  fure, 
by  adding  co  their  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue  know- 
ledge, and  every  oiher  grace.  But  does  Peter  tell 
thefe  new  converis,  thar,  bc;aufe  they  had  not  had  time 
thus  to  prove  the  lincerity  of  their  converlion,  it  was 
not  fafe  to  receive  baptifm,  and  enter  mio  the  church  ? 
Does  he  advii'e  them  ;o  wait  a  while  till  they  could 
manifefi:  the  reality  of  their  repentance  by  its  fruirs? 
No,  he  admits  them  to  fellowPnip  immediately  ;  but 
with  this  important  caution,  ja'-je  yourjehesfrcm  this 
untovjard  generation. 

In  the  fame  manner  the  apoftles  conduced  in  the 
baptifm  of  Cornelius,  the  people  of  Samaria,  the  Jay- 
lor,  L)dia,  and  the  Ethiopian  Eunuch. 

Had  they  confidered  affurance,  as  a  qualification 
neceflary  to  jufi:ify  perfons  incoming  into'the  church, 
would  they  not,  on  thefe  occafions,  have  cautioned  their 
profelyles  againft:  receiving  baptifm  immediately? 
Would  they  not  have  advifed  thcni  to  a  greater  trial  of 
themfelves  than  could  have  been  made  ia  a  \^\x  hours  ? 

It  cannot  be  pretended,  that  thefe  prcfelytcs  had  a 
certain  knowledge  of  their  own  finceriiy.  Much  lefs 
can  ii  befuppoled,  that  theaprfiles  knew  them  to  be 
found  converts.     I'hey   knew  men's  hearts  no  other- 

ik^  than  we  may  know  them,   by  a  view  of  v/hat  ap- 


22 

pears  in  their  lives.  They  could  only,  hence,  forma 
rational  judgment,-  a  charitable  prelumption.  The 
difciples  at  Jerufalem  believed  not  Paul  to  be  a  difci- 
ple,  nor  did  even  thc»  apoftles  venture  to  receive  him 
as  luch,  till  they  had  evidence  from  the  teftimony  of 
Barnabas.  Yea,  we  find  in  fad:,  that  they  admitted 
into  the  Chriftian  church  many,  who  afterward  ap- 
peared to  be  ungodly.  Simon,  the  forcerer,  is  a  re- 
markable inftance.  We  learn  from  Paul's  epiltles, 
that  in  moft  of  the  churches  to  which  he  wrote,  there 
were  great  numbers  of  unfound  profelTors.  The  apof- 
tles,  therefore,  did  not  know,  that  all,  whom  they  re- 
ceived into  the  church,  were  favingiy  converted  j  for 
it  IS  manifeft,  that  many  of  them  were  notfo.  And 
fmce  they  received  new  profelytes,  whofe  fincerity 
muft,  at  prefent,  be  doubtful  to  themfelvcs,  as  well  as 
others,  without  the  leaf!  intimation  of  a  neceflity  of  de- 
laying for  the  removal  of  doubts,  we  may  with  great 
fafety,  conclude,  that  a  ferious  perfon,  who  believes 
the  gofpel,and  delires  to  be  found  in  the  way  of  duty, 
and  of  the  divine  blefling,  though  ftill  in  doubt  con- 
cerning the  gracious  fincerity  of  his  heart,  has  a  right 
to  come  to  the  communion  of  the  church. 

And  indeed,  if  Chriftians  were  to  delay,  till  all  their 
doubts  vv  ere  removed,  I  am  afraid  few  would  come  to 
it  at  all.  And  perhaps  thefe  few  would  not  be  of  the 
better  fort.  While  the  felf-confident  hypocrite  drew 
near,  the  meek,  the  modelf,  the  humble,  would  Ifand 
afar  off. 

The  members  of  the  church  in  Corinth,  as  we  learn 
from  Paul's  firft  letter  to  them,  ran  into  molr  fcan- 
dalous  difordcTS  in  their  attendance  on  the  Lord's  fup- 
per.  They  behaved  in  fuch  a  riotous  manner,  as 
made  it  evident  that  they  difceined  not  the  Lord's 
body  ;  diflinguilhed  not  this  ordinr.nce  from  a  com- 
mon meal,  or  even  from  a  Pagan  feflival.  One  took 
before  other  his  own  liipper ;  and    one  was  liungry, 


23 

having  eaten  nothing  before  he  came  to  it ;  and  another 
was  drunken,  having  indulged  to  excefs  there  ,•  and 
the  poorer  members  were  defpiled.  This  unworthy 
partaking  the  apoltle  rebukes  in  the  fevereft  terms  ; 
and  warns  them,  that  they  were  eating  and  drinking 
judgmenr  to  themfelves,  of  which  they  had  melancho- 
ly proof  in  the  ficknefs  and  mortality  which  had  been, 
fent  among  them. 

But  what  advice  does  he  give  them  in  the  cafe  ?, 
Does  he  direct  them  to  Withdraw  from  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble ?  No,  he  {"hews  them  the  danger  of  coming  in  this 
manner,  and  exhorts  them  to  come  better  prepared  and 
difpofed.  Let  a  man  examine  himjelfy  and  Jo  let  him  eat. 
He  does  not  fay,  \zx.  a  man  examine  himfelf  and  with- 
draw ;  but  let  him  examine  and  partake.  And  when 
ye  come  togetheVy  tarry  for  one  another  ;  and  if  any  man 
hunger^  let  him  eat  at  home^  that  ye  come  not  together  to 
condemnation.  This  palTagc,  far  from  being  a  juft 
ground  of  difcouragement,  proves  the  point  which  we 
have  ftated,  that  fuch  as  have  a  delire  to  comply  with 
a  divine  inftitution,  are  not  to  delay,  on  account  of 
their  humble  doubts  concerning  their  converfion.  If 
the  fear  of  unworthy  partaking  were  a  reafon  for  not 
partaking  at  all,  as  well  might  the  fear  of  praying,  or 
reading  and  hearing  the  word,  in  an  unworthy  man- 
ner, be  a  reafon  for  omitting  thefe  ;  for  it  is  evident 
that  the  fcriptare  enjoins  the  fame  temper  of  heart 
in  thefe  duties,  as  in  that.  The  truth  is,  we  are  re- 
quired to  attend  on  every  ordinance  with  godly  linccr- 
ity  ;  and  a  fufpicion  of  our  infincerity  is  not  an  ex- 
cufe  for  negledc  ;  but  a  reafon  for  cxammation,  re- 
pentance and  amendment.  . 

Some  perhaps  will  fay,  for  fome  have  faid,  we  have 
fenfible  defires  to  approach  to  God  in  all  his  ordinan- 
ces ;  but  there  may  be  defires  which  are  not  gracious ; 
and  we  fear  ours  are  fuch  ;  w^e,  therefore,  dare  not  ap- 
proach, for  we  think  lefs  guilt  is  incurred  by  abfti- 
nence,  than  by  attendance. 


24 

But  confider,  God  requires  your  attendance  ;  and 
you  muft  either  attend  or  forbear — comply  or  refufe  : 
There  is  no  medium ;  and  certainly  there  can  be  no 
more  grace  m  your  fears^  than  there  may  be  in  your 
defires.  If  your  defires  to  attend  an  ordinance  are  not 
fpintual,  neither  can  the  fears,  which  reftrain  you  trom 
attending,  be  called  fpiritual  :  You  can,  therefore,  be 
no  better  accepted  in  your  neglecl,  than  in  your  com- 
pliance ;  for  you  ad  on  no  better  principles  in  the 
form.er,  than  in  the  latter. 

It  is  vain  to  enquire,  in  what  way  you  {hall  contra<5t 
leaft  guilt :  Your  bufinefs  is  not  to  contrive  how  you 
can  fin  at  the  cheapeft  rate  : — Your  care  Ihould  be  not 
to  fin  at  all. 

If  you  fay,  you  decline  the  communion  through  fear 
of  offending  God  j  examine  whether  you  are  not  de- 
ceived. Are  you  as  conlcientious  in  every  thing  elfe  ,as 
you  would  feem  to  be  in  this  ?  Are  you  as  much  afraid 
to  offend  God  m  other  matters,  as  you  pretend  to  be 
in  this  ?  if  you  allow  >ourfeIves  in  any  fin,  or  in  the 
negicdof  any  duty,  beafTured  it  is  not  the  fear  of  of- 
fending God,  but  fomething  elfe,  that  hinders  your  ap- 
proach to  his  table.  But  if  you  really  have  fuch  a 
fear  running  through  all  your  condudl,  and  operating 
in  all  your  deliberate  adtions,  you  have  a  very  good 
evidence  of  your  right  to  the  holy  communion  ;  for, 
in  all  adls  of  worfliip,  you  fcrve  God  acceptably,  when 
vou  ferve  him  with  reverence  and  godly  fear. 

The  man  found  at  the  marriage-feafl  without  a  wed- 
ding garment,  fell  under  the  awful  cenlure  of  the 
king,  who  cemmanded  that  he  fhould  be  bound  and 
cafl  into  utter  darknefs. 

Will  you  fay  then,  it  is  the  fafer  part  not  to  come 
to  the  marriage-feaft  at  all,  left  being  found  unwor- 
thy, wefhare  the  fate  of  this  guefl  ?  Remember^  thcv 


-2S 

who  made  light  of  the  king's  invitation,  and  refufed  to 
come  to  his  fon's  marriage,  were  treated  with  no  more 
lenity  than  the  unworthy  gueiL  He  fent  forth  his  ar- 
mies and  deitroyed  them,  and  burnt  up  their  city. 
What  then  fliall  we  conclude?  Why,  fhat  a.wrcked 
man  is  fafe  no  where.  He  who  will  not  foifake  ini- 
quity, is  fecure  neither  in  the  church,  nor  out  of  it. 

The  crime  of  this  gueft  was,  not  that  he  was  found 
at  thc/eajl ;  but  that  he  was  found  mtfuitably  attired.  The 
fame  dirt  and  rags  would  have  been  offenfive  elfcwhere. 

The  fervants  were  ordered  to  go  out  into  the  high- 
ways, and  call  to  the  marriage  as  many  as  they  found  ; 
and  they  accordingly  gathered  together  both  bad  and 
good.  The  man^  you  fee,  was  a  poor  beggar,  called 
into  ihe  king's  houfe,  from  our  of  the  ftreet.  How 
fhould  he  obtain  a  ueddmg  garment  ?  He  had  none 
of  his  own.  He  mud  come  to  the  king's  houfe  to  re- 
ceive one ;  for  there  was  clean  raiment,  as  well  as  meat 
and  drink.  Where  then  lay  his  great  crime  ?  Surely 
not  in  coming  to  the  king's  houfe,  for  he  was  bidden  to 
come  ;  and  luch  as  refufed  were  deftroyed  ;  but  in 
fitting  among  the  guefts  in  his  ragged  and  deliled  con- 
dition, and  rcfuiing  to  wear  the  pure  raiment  provided 
for  him.  And  fuch  will  be  the  condemnation  of  falfc 
profeffors  at  the  laft  day  ;  not  (imply  that  they  have 
come  within  God's  church,  and  attended  on  his  ordi- 
nances ;  but  that,  while  they  have  fat  under  the  gof- 
pel-difpenfation,  made  a  good  profeiiion,  and  enjoyed 
all  the  means  of  holinefs,  they^  have  continued  in  the 
love  and  pradlice  of  their  hns  ;  that  while  they  have 
heard  Chrilt  teach  in  their  Itreets,  and  liave  eaten  and 
drunk  m  his  prcfence,  they  have  been  workers  of  ini- 
quity. We  are  not  to  imagine  that  we  may  {^.My 
work  iniquity,  if  we  will  only  keep  out  of  the  church. 
Such  will  be  condemned  wheiever  they  are  found. 
The  kingdom  of  God  is  come  nigh  to  us  ;  his  word 
D 


26 

and  ordinances  arc  given  to  us.  Wc  cannot  place 
ourfelves  in  the  condition  of  heathens,  if  we  would  ; 
for  God  has  placed  us  in  a  very  different  condition. 
The  light  has  rifen  upon  us  ;  the  word  of  falvaiion  is 
fent  unto  us.  And  now  what  choice  fhall  we  make  ? 
If  we  treat  God's  ordinances  with  utter  contempt,  wc 
are  conclemned  ;  if -.ve  attend  upon  them  infuch  a  man- 
ner as  Lo  receive  no  benefit  from  them,  ftill  we  arc 
condemned.  Our  only  fafety  then  is,  to  profeis  the  gof- 
pel,  and  obey  it ;  name  the  name  of  Chri(>,  and  de- 
part from  iniquity  ;  this  is  to  come  to  the  marriage 
Ibppcr,  and  put  on  the  wedding-garment. 

Let  us  fear  left  we  receive  the  grace  of  God  in  vain. 
Let  us  beware  left  our  privileges,  inflead  of  being  the 
means  of  our  falvation,  ferve  only  to  aggravate  our  fi- 
nal condemnation. 

You  fee  how  the  cafe  flands.  All  are  required  to 
come  within  God's  church,  and  attend  on h.s  appoint- 
ed ordinances  ;  and  none  are  allowed  to  do  this  in  a 
hypocritical  and  ungodly  manner. 

Your  duty  lies  plain  before  you  ;  ftudy  no  eva- 
fions  ;  God's  commands  are  exprefs  ;  your  obliga- 
tion to  obey  is  indifpenfible.  Attend  on  the  ordi- 
nance in  queftion,  and  every  other,  as  you  have  oppor- 
tunity ;  keep  in  view  the  end  of  their  inftitution, 
which  is  the  promotion  of  faith  and  purity.  Imagine 
not  that  ordinances  operate  by  a  kind  of  charm,  to  do 
you  good  without  making  you  better  ;  you  v.'ill  only 
be  accepted  in  hearing  Chrift  teach,  and  in  eating  in 
his  prefence,  when  you  alfo  depart  from  iniquity.  For 
his  kingdom  is  not  merely  meat  and  drink,  hul  righte- 
eufnefs  and  peace  y  and  joy  in  the  Holy  GhoJK 


"t^  4-'I»-4'    -^^"^    ■#"'l"#-  ^4^4^    ^t'^t^    4^4*^    ^4*^!^   "t 

r^    ^i|m^       4^-^*|*       -tlHlinif  ■4*^*#'       ■^••'^►-■f'-       '•t'X.iis-;!!*-       ■t|i"<|*">l*    "^ 

X  4^'#-l*  ^■•»i'*i'-  4-4"»§*  •#ni»4-  #^i»4»  •^■#^>  ti»-»|)H|«-  X 
CHRISTIAN    FELLOWSHIP. 


I  Cor  IN.  i.   2. 

l/nlo  the  church  of  Gody  which  is  at  Corinth  ;  to  them  that 
are  fanclified  in  Chriji  Jcjus;  called  to  heJainiSy  with 
all  that  tn  every  plact  call' on  the  name  of  J  ejus  Chriji 
our  Lordy  both  theirs  and  ours, 

WE  have  already  confidered  \\\cnature  of  a  Chrif- 
tian  church — the  purpofe  of  its  inftitution — 
the  relation  of  children  to  it — and  the  qualifications  ne- 
celTary  to  an  attendance  on  its  ordinances. 

What  now  lies  before  us  is, 

V.  To  explain  th^tfellowJJjipy  or  communion^  which 
does,  or  ought  to  fubfift  among  profefling  Chriftians, 
whether  in  the  fame  or  in  divers  churches. 

To  this  fubjecfl,  we  are  led  by  the  laft  claufe  in  our 
text :  Grace  and  peace  to  the  church  of  God  in  Corinth, 
with  all  whoy  in  every  place,  call  on  the  name  ofjefus 
Chrifi  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and  ours. 

We  are  here  taught,  that,  as  all  Chriflians,  in  what- 
ever nlace  they  may  dwell,  or  may  v/orfhip,  arc  difci- 
ples  of  ihe  fame  Lord,  and  call  on  God  in  th?  name  of 
the  fame  Mediator;  fo  there  is  an  important  relation, 
and  ought  to  be  a  facred  fcllowfnip  am^ong  them. 

For  the  illuftration  of  this  matter,  I  would  obfervc. 


2S 

I.  Th'ere  is  a  virtual  fellowfhip  or  comn^union 
among  all  true  fdints,  m  hether  near  cr  remote  :  whe- 
ther known  or  unknown  to  each  other.  They  are  all 
engaged  in  the  fame  defign,  united  in  the  fame  inte- 
relt,  and  partakers  of  many  of  the  fame  things. 

This  is  the  fenfe  in  which  the  \Vord  is  moft  fre- 
quently ufed  in  fcripture  ;  and  this  is  analogous  to  the 
fenfe  which  it  ordinarily  bears  in  common  life.  Par- 
ticularly, 

Real  faints  h?iVt  fellow/hip  in  the goj'pel.  They  have 
received  one  and  the  fame  rule  of  faith  and  pradlice. 
Though  they  may  differ  in  their  opinions  concerning 
fome  particular  things  contained  in  the  gofpel,  yet 
their  f^ntiments  in  the  elTential  dodrines  and  precepts 
of  it,  are  the  fame. 

They  have  received  one  common  faith — like  precious 
faith.  Though  their  faith  may  differ  m  its  exten;  and 
degree,  yet,  in  its  objed,  nature  and  inHuence,  it  is 
one  and  the  fame.  The  objed  of  it  is  divine  truth  ; 
the  nature  of  it  is  receiving  the  love  of  the  truth  ;  the 
influence  of  it  is  purif)ing  the  heart. 

They  are  all  formed  to  the  fame  holy  temper.  They 
are  renewed  after  the  image  of  God — are  joint  par- 
takers of  a  divine  nature.  There  may  be  great  varie- 
ty in  the  time,  manner  and  circumllances  of  their  re- 
novation, and  in  the  flrength  and  degree  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  temper  ;  but  holinefs,  in  its  general  nature,  is  the 
fame  in  all.  It  is  a  conformity  to  God's  moral  cha- 
rader. 

They  are  all  partakers  of  the  fame  divine  yj!>7>//. 
There  are  divernties  of  gifts  and  operations  ;  but  it  is 
thefame  fpirit  that  worketh  all  in  ail.  Hence  the  apof- 
tle  fpeaks  of  the  filhzvJJjip  of  the  fpirit,  and  the  com- 
munionofiheHoiyGhojl. 


^9 

They  are  engaged  in  the  iame  good  ivork^-in  the 
lame  gn  at  cUfign.  They  are  working  out  their  falvadon, 
and  promocing,  in  their  refpective  places,  the  intercfi 
of  Chrift's  kingdom.  They  are  fellow-laborers  in  the 
famefervice,  the  lervice  of  God  and  their  own  fguls. 
They  are  fellow-workerd  in  the  fame  holy  calling. 
They  are  fellow-foldiers  in  the  fame  fpiritual  warfare  ; 
fighting  againil  the  fame  enemies,  Im,  fatan,  and  the 
world  ;  applying  the  fame  armour,  the  ihield  of  faith, 
the  helmet  of  hope,  the  breait-plate  of  rjghteoufnefs, 
and  the  fword  of  the  fpirit  ;  and  they  act  under  the 
fame  kader,  Jcfus  the  captaift  of  their  falvation. 

They  have  one  common  intereft.  They  have  a  joint 
intcreft  in  the  blelTed  God  ;  for  there  is  one  God  and 
Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  through  all,  and 
in  them  all.  They  bear  the  fame  relation  to  Jefus 
Chnlt  ;  for  there  is  one  Lord  and  Saviour,  by  whom 
are  all  things,  and  they  by  him.  There  is  one  com- 
mon falvation,  in  which  they  all  are  fharers.  They 
are  all  julhfied  by  the  fame  atonement,  walhed  in  the 
fame  blood,  fandtified  by  the  lame  grace  and  laved  by 
the  fame  intercefTion.  They  have  an  intereft  in  the 
fame  promifes,  and  a  title  to  the  fame  inheritance. 
They  are  called  in  the  fame  hope,  and  are  jomt-heirs 
of  the  fame  glory-  They  are  fellow  citizens  with  the 
faints,  and  of  the  houfehold  of  God. 

In  thefe  refpecls,  there  is  a  fellowlhip  among  all  fin- 
cere  Chriftians.  In  many  of  thefe  things,  faints  on 
earth  have  communion  with  thofe  in  Heaven. 

One  cannot  but  remark  here,  how  diverfc  this  fel- 
lowlhip is,  from  that  which  fome  boait  of ;  a  mutual 
Jympatby\  or  felloin-ft  elingy  between  fincere  CbriffianSy  by 
whii  h  one  immediately  perceives  the  grace y  and  kmws  the 
chaniiler  of  another.  The  fcripture  never  ufes  the  word 
fellowjhip  in  this  fenfe^  nor  docs  it  fpeak  of  any  fuch 
thing  in  other  terms.     It  is  certain,  that  the  apoftles 


30 

and  firft  Chriftians  were  not  acquainted  with  fuch  a 
fympathctic  intercourfeof  fpirits.  If  i hey  were,  why 
did  not  the  eles^en  difciples  difcern,  that  Judas  was  a 
hypocrite  ?  Why  did  noc  the  Chridians  of  Jerufalem 
beheve  Paul  to  be  a  difciple  ?  Why  did  not  they  feel 
his  graces,  when,  after  his  converiion,  he  eflk)  ed  to 
join  himfelf  to  them  ?  Why  could  not  the  apoftles 
themfelves  be  fatisfted  of  his  converiion,  without  the 
teflimony  of  Barnabas  ?  What  occalion  was  there,  that 
Chriftians  fhould  carry  with  them  letters  of  commen- 
dation, as  we  find  they  did,  when  they  travelled  to  pla- 
ces where  they  had  not  been  known. 

As  the  gofpel  knows  no  fuch  cor refpondence  of 
heart  between  Chriftians  ;  and  never  once  ufes  the 
word  fellowfhip,  or  communion  in  any  fuch  fenfe,  it 
is  a  perverlion  of  fcripture,  as  well  as  reafon,  to  pre- 
tend to  fuch  a  thing  now,  and  call  it  by  a  fcripture 
name.     I  proceed  to  obferve, 

2.  Besides  the  virtual  communion,  before  defcrib- 
ed,  among  lincere  Chriftians,  there  is  an  a5iual  commu- 
nion among  thofe  who  are  known  to,  and  have  inter- 
courfe  with,  one  another.  This  coniifts  in  mutual  re- 
gards and  good  offices. 

The  good  Chriftian  extends  his  benevolence  to  all, 
to  ftrangers,  heathens  and  enemies  ;  and,  from  this 
principle,  ftiews  kindnefs  to  all,  as  far  as  their  occa- 
lions  require,  and  his  circumftances  permit.  But  for 
them  who  appear  to  him  in  the  charader  of  faints,  he 
has  a  love,  not  only  of  benevolence,  but  aifo  of  eftcem 
and  approbation.  He  wifties  well  to  all,  whether 
good  or  bad  ;  but  he  values  men  chiefly  according  to 
their  virtuous  converfation.  While  he  is  difpofed  to 
do  good  to  ail,  he  reckons  himfelf  under  fome  fupcrior 
obligations  to  thofe  who  are  of  the  houfehold  of  faith. 
He  delights  in  the  faints  as  the  excellent  of  the  earth, 
and   is  the  companion  of  them  who  fear  God.     He 


31 

loves  the  brethren,  and  fuch  he  efteems  all  Chriflians, 
whether  they  belong  to  the  fame  fociety  with  him,  or 
to  another.  He  confines  not  his  regard  to  thole  of 
his  own  i^ediy  or  his  own  particular  community  ;  bur, 
like  the  apoftles,  extends  it  to  all  who,  in  every  place, 
call  on  the  nanie  of  Jefus  ChriO,  their  Lord,  as  well 
as  hisy  and  the  common  Saviour  of  them  who  believe. 

In  order  to  the  exercife  of  true  Chriftian  love,  it  is 
not  neceflary  to  know  the  linccrity  of  men's  hearts. 
It  is  enough  that,  by  their  profellion  and  converfadon, 
they  appear  to  us  in  the  charader  of  Chriftian  breth- 
ren ;  and  by  their  works  give  us  reafonable  giound  to 
think  they  have  faith.  We  may,  in  a  proper  i'enfe, 
have  this  a^iial  fellowfhip  with  one  who  is  not  a  iincere 
Chriftian ;  and  may  not  have  it  wi'h  one  who  is  liich. 
So  long  as  Judas  appeared  in  the  character  of  a  difci- 
ple,  his  brethren  had  fellowftiip  with  him  ;  they  ef- 
teemed  him,  placed  confidence  in  him,  and  even 
thought  him  better  than  themfelves.  But  with  Paul, 
the  difciples  at  Jerufalem  had  not  this  a^ual  fellow- 
fhip  ;  they  confided  not  in  him,  nor  believed  him  to 
be  a  difciple,  till  he  produced  fome  proper  evidence  of 
a  change  in  his  fentiments  and  pradice. 

3.  There  is  alfo  ixfpecial  communion,  which  docj, 
or  ought  to  take  place  among  thofe  Chriftians,  who  are 
united  in  the  fame  particular  church,  or  religious  fo- 
ciety. 

As  they  have  explicitly  covenanted  together  for  {o^ 
cial  worlhip  and  common  edification,  fo  they  are  un- 
der peculiar  obligations  to  each  other,  unitedly  to  pur- 
fue  this  important  purpofc. 

This fpecial  commMXiion  principally  confills  in  a 
joint  attendance  on  the  ordinances  of  Chrift. 

It  is  faid  of  thofe  who  received  the  word  preached 


•32 

by  Peter,  on  the  day  of  p^ntecoft,  that  they  continued 
ftedfaft  in  the  apcftle's  do^rine  and  felloujhip^  am  in 
breaking  of  bread  and  in  prayers. — They  mere  together,  and 
continued  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple — praijing 
God.  The  apoftle  to  the  Hebrews  exhorts  the  profef- 
fors  of  religion,  that  they  confider  one  another,  to  provoke 
to  love  and  good  works,  notjorfaking  the  ajfembling  of 
them/elves  together.  St.  Paul  fpeaks  of  the  Corinthian 
believers,  as  <:o»?/«^  together  in  the  church,  and  into' one , 
place.  He  reprefents  the  whole  church  as  coming  togetb^ 
er  in  one  place,  for  breaking  of  bread,  for  fecial  prayer, 
and  for  attendance  on  the  preaching  of  the  word. 
Thefe  exprefiions  teach  us,  that  the  members  of  a 
particular  church  ought  to  walk  together  in  the  ordi- 
nances, and  unitedly  to  attend  on  the  ftated  worfhip 
of  God,  as  they  are  able,  without  unneceffary  negledl. 
And,  indeed,  it  is  included  in  the  very  idea  of  a  par- 
ticular church,  that  they  worfhip  God  together,  at  the 
fame  time,  and  in  the  fame  place.  The  apoftle  dircds 
the  Corinthians,  when  they  come  together,  to  tarry  for  one 
anotht  r  ;  for  which  furely  there  could  be  no  reafon, 
if  they  might  difperfe  here  and  there,  and  fome  wor- 
ftiip  in  one  place,  and  fome  in  another,  and  fome  no 
where. 

The  acceptablenefs  of  worfhip,  indeed,  depends  not 
on  the  place  where  it  is  performed.  But  it  much  de- 
pends on  a  fpint  of  peace  and  union  among  the  wor- 
fhippers.  For  this  reafon,  the  church  is  to  come  to- 
gether into  one  place,  that  there  may  be  no  fchifm, 
but  all  her  members  may  with  one  mind,  and  one 
mouth  glorify  God.  They  muft  be  builded  together, 
that  they  may  become  an  habitation  of  God  through 
the  fpirit ;  muft  be  fitly  framed  together,  that  they 
may  grow  into  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord. 

There  may  be  frequent  occafions  for  the  members 
of  the  fame  church  to  meet  for  focial  worfhip  in  dif- 
ferent places,  and  even  in  private  houfes.     Paul,  when 


Ije  abode  ill  Ephefus,  preached  and  taught  both  pub- 
licly, and  from  houfc  to  houfe.  We  are  not  to  ima- 
gine a  temple,  or  public  houfe,  fo  peculiarly  faorcd, 
that  divine  worfhip  can  no  where  elfe  be  ufeful  to  men, 
or  pleaiing  to  the  Deity.  The  private  meetings  of 
Chriftians,  conducted  with  a  real  view  to  peaceand  edi- 
fication, are  much  to  be  commended.  But  when  any 
of  tiie  members  of  a  chuich  withdraw  from  the  ufual 
place  ot  worlhip,  and  alTemble  elfewhere,  either  vvith 
an  intention  to  caufe  divifion,  or  in  a  manner  which 
tends  to  it,  they  violate  the  order  of  ChrilVs  Jioufe,  and 
interruot  the  communion  which  ought  to  fubilfl  in  it. 
Though  Paul  taught  from  houfe  to  houfe,  yet  he  ap- 
proved not  thofe  teachers,  who  crepi  into  houfes  to 
lead  the  limple  captive,  and  difturb  Chnftian  fellow- 
fhip.  He  warns  Chriflians  to  mark  and  avoid  thofe 
who  caufe  divilions,  for  fuch  ferve  not  the  kingdom  of 
Chrifl,  but  their  own  private  defigns.  One  great 
end  of  focial  worfhip  is  peace  and  union  ;  and  it 
ought  always  to  be  conducted  in  a  manner  which 
tends  not  to  defeat,  but  promote  this  end.  it  is  not 
the  facrednefs  of  one  place  rather  than  another,  but 
the  common  edification,  which  obliges  the  whole 
church  to  come  together  in  one  place.  The  members 
no  longer  walk  in  fellowfhip,  than  they  thus  unitedly 
attenci  the  facred  orders  of  Chrilt's  houfe. 

Among  divine  ordinances,  the  Lord' s  /upper  deCexxcs 
particular  attention  ;  for  one  main  delign  of  this  was 
to  be  a  mean  of  brotherly  communion.  Eating  and 
drinking  together,  at  the  fame  table,  is  a  natural  act 
of  fellow  fliip.  Doing  this  at  the  Lord's  table  is  an  act 
of  Chrijiian  fellowfli.p.  '^'he  cup  which  ive  blejsy  and 
the  bread  which  zve  breaky  is  the  communion  of  ChrijVc: 
bloody  and  of  his  body  :  and  by  our  jomt  participation  of 
rhem,  wc  acknowledge  ourlclves  lo  be  one  family,  the 
children  of  one  parent,  the  difciples  of  one  Lord. 
li^e  being  tnany  ere  oyi"  body^  and  one  brcc.dy  or  loai' ;  f^v 
E        -  \ 


34 

we  are  all  partakers  of  that  one  loaf.  This  ordinance  i^ 
a  love-feaft,  and  ought  to  be  kepty  not  ivith  the  leave?!  of 
7nalice  and  •uickedn,fsy  but  with  the  unleavtnfd  bread  of 
Jincerity  and  truth.  No  trifling  cau'es  fhouid  divert  or 
detain  us  from  it  j  and  no  evil  paflions  accompany  us 
in  it. 

And  here  I  cannot  but  take  notice  of  a  practice  too 
common  among  the  profeifors  of  r^  iigion  ;  their  zvith- 
dra^joino^ from  ihe  Lord' s  table^  becaufe  a  particular  bro- 
ther has  injured y  or  offended  them  ;  for  which  I  find  no 
foundation  in  the  gof  )ei.  We  are,  indeed,  to  with- 
draw from  every  brother  who  walks  dt [orderly.  But 
how  ?  By  breaking  up  the  communion  ?'No,  but  by 
putting  away  the  wicked  perfon  from  among  us  i  and  by 
purging  out  the  old  kaven^  that  we  may  be  a  nfw  lump. 
We  may  think  our  brother  unworthy  of  the  privilege 
"which  he  afllimes  ;  but  ihall  his  unworchinefs  deprive 
us  of  the  privilege  ?  We  are,  in  proper  feafon,  ro  take 
the  meafures  prefcribed  in  the  gofpel,  for  his  reforma- 
tion ;  but,  in  the  mean  time,  we  are  neither  to  abfent 
ourfelvt's  from  the  table,  nor  to  forbid  his  attendance  ; 
for  we  can  juftly  exclude  him  only  by  conviftion  in  a 
re^gular  procefs.  If  the  cafe  is  fo  circumftanced,  that 
fufficienc  evidence  for  his  conviction  cannot  be  pro- 
duced, he  muft  be  left  to  the  judge  of  all  men. 
Whatever  our  opinion  mav  be  of  his  guilt,  we  are  not  to 
withdraw  on  account  of  his  attendance.  Judge  no- 
thing before  the  time. 

You  will  fay,  Charity  is  necejjary  in  our  attendance  at 
Chriji^s  table  :  but  withfuch  a  brother y  how  can  we  fit 
down  in  charity  f  People  often  confound  themfelves 
in  th  s  matter,  by  their  partial  notions  of  charity.  If 
by  charity  were  intended  an  opinion  of  others  as  good 
Chriftians,  you  could  not  lit  down  in  charity  with 
thofe  of  whom  you  thought  other  wife.  "But  where  do 
you  find  this  defcription  of  charity  ?  or  where  is  this 
good  opinion  of  all  yourfellow-commuiiicants  rec^uir- 


35 

cd  in  order  to  your  fitting  at  Chrifl's  table  ?  It  is  the 
eifecl,  noL  the  ciTence  ot  chauty,  to  hope  all  things. 
If  >ou  have  a  benevolent,  meek,  forgiving  temper  to- 
ward rhofe  whom  you  thmk  not  to  be  true  Chnfhans, 
you  can  fet  down  in  charity  with  them  ;  tor  this  is 
the  fcnptural  idea  of  charity.  If  you  remember  a  bro- 
ther hath  ought  againft  you,  go  and  be  reconciled  to 
h.m.  If  >ou  have  ought  agaii.lt  a  brother,  go  and  tell 
him  his  fault.  If  he  repent  forgive  him  ;  if  he  re- 
pent not,  ftill  indulge  no  rancor  nor  hatred  in  your 
heart.  Thus  fit  down  at  the  feaft  in  chanty,  in  kind 
affedion,  to  your  brethren  an-d  to  all  men. 

Perhaps  fome  will  fay,  '  We  withdraw  from  the 
table  when  a  brother  has  injured  us,  becaufe  his  pre- 
fence  awakeMs  in  us  unfuitabie  paflioi)s.' 

But  remember,  the  indulgence  of  malevolent  paf- 
fions  is  your  lin ;  and  you  are  not  to  abfent  your- 
felves  from  communion,  but  lo  difmifs  than  ;  and  fo 
keep  the  feaft  in  fmcerity  and  love.  Malice  and  ill- 
will  indulged  in  the  heart  are  wrong,  whoever  is  the 
objea,  whether  a  brother,  or  a  heathen.  And  on  this 
plea,\ou  might  as  well  withdraw,  when  the  latter,  as 
when  the  former  had  done  you  an  injury.' 

Consider  alfo,  you  are  required  to  pray,  and  to  hear 
the  word,  with  the  fame  charity  which  is  required  m 
the  fupper.  PVheti  youftand  prayings  your  are  to  forgive 
if  you  have  ought  agairfi  any  man.  And  you  are  to  lay 
apart  all  guile,  malice  and  envy  ;  2ir\d  ihus  to  di/ire  the 
frncere  milk  of  the  word;  receiving  it  with  meeknejs. 
Your  plea,  therefore,  might  as  well  be  urged  for  neg- 
leding  public  worfhip,  or  even  family  prayer,  befuie, 
if  the  offender  happens  to  be  prefcnt,  as  for  abfenting 
from  the  fupper. 

The  truth  is,  you  are  never  .^o  excufe  yourfelve^ 
from  ads  of  duty,  on  account  of  evil  paflions  working 
in  you  ;  but  immediately  to  war  agauift  them. 


It  will  be  ailced.  How  can  1  have  communion  with  a 
church yivhilejije  iolcrates ungodly anujcandalous vntvahtx^ f 

But  let  me  afk  you,  my  friend,  dees  fhe  tolerate 
them  ?  If  Ihe  does,  whofe  bufineJs  is  it  to  take  the  firft 
l\cp  lowaici  rectifying  ihe  diforder  ?  It  is  yours,  as 
much  as  any  man's.  It  is  yours  principally.  You 
pretend,  that  you  fee  fuch  perfons  in  the  church. 
Others  perhaps  fee  them  not,  or  have  not  evidence 
againfl:  them.  Have  you  reproved  them  ?  Have  you 
taken  a  brother  or  two  to  afTil? )  ou  ?  Have  }  ou  bi;ought 
your  complaint  to  the  church  ?  If  you  have  done  none 
of  thefe  things,  you  are  the  moft  reprehenfible  of  any 
member  ;  for  you  fee  the  (in,  and  bewray  it  not.  Go 
fiift,  and  do  your  own  duty.  You  can  have  no  pre- 
tence for  withdrawing,  till  you  know  that  the  church 
adually  tolera-.es  vicious  characters  ;  and  this  you  can- 
not know  till  you  have  taken  the  mealures  which 
Chrift  enjoins. 

But  though  I  may  think  a  church  to  be,  in  the  main, 
a  true  church,  yet  if  1  fee  errors  in  her,  ought  1  not  to 
teflify  againrt  them  by  withdrawing  from  them  ?  By 
no  means.  Your  withdrawing  is  noteftimony  againft 
her  particular  errors  j  it  is  only  a  general,  indifcrimi- 
nate  charge.  It  fignifies  thai  you  are  difpleafed  at 
fomcthing  ;  but  points  out  nothing.  You  are  to  com- 
mune with  her ;  but  not  adopt  her  errors  ;  then  your 
conduOl  will  fpeak  an  intelligible  language.  Chrift 
teftified  agair.fl  the  errors  of  the  Jewifli  church,  and  la- 
bored for  her  reformation  ;  but  ftiU  he  held  commu- 
nion with  her  as  a  church  of  God.  Let  his  example 
i)e  your  rule. 

This  leads  me  to  obferve  farther,  that  fpecial  fel- 
low ill  ip  among  the  members  of  a  particular  church  m.uft 
include  mutual  watchfulnefs,  reproof  and  exhortation. 

As  Chriltians,  in  the  |)refent  flate,  are  but  impcr- 


37 

feci,  one  end  of  theircovenantingandaflbciating  together 
is,. that  they  may  afford  mutual  afliftance  m  the  great 
concerns  of  rehgion,andbe  fellow-helpers  in  the  work 
of  their  common  falvation.  Accordingly  they  are  re- 
quired to  confidcrand  admonilh,  comfort  and  encou- 
rage one  another,  as  there  is  occaiion  ;  to  be  all  iub- 
jedt  one  to  another,  and  to  be  clothed  with  humility. 
By  virtue  of  our  fpecial  relation,  as  members  of  one 
church,  we  are  to  rebuke  our  brethren,  and  not  fuffer 
ftn  upon  them.  Thofe  who  offend,  we  are  firll:  to  ad- 
drefs  in  a  more  privaie  manner  :  them  who  are  deaf 
to  private  expoftulations,  we  are  to  bring  before  the 
church;  fuchascontemnthecounfelsof  the  church  are 
to  be  cut  off  from  her  communion  ;  but  the  peniteni  are 
to  bereftored  in  the  fpirit  of  mecknefs.     Once  more. 

Ol^r  fpecial   fellowlhip   requires    mutual  candor, 
condefcention  and  forbearance. 

We  are  to  confider  ourfelves,  and  our  brethren,  not 
as  (inlefs,  but  imperfed  beings,  attended  with  infirmi- 
ties, fubjed  to  temptations,  liable  to  offend,  and  to  be 
offended.  While  we  are  cautious  not  to  give  offence 
by  domg  things  grievous  to  ihem,  we  Ihould  make 
all  reafonable  allowance  for  them,  when  they  do  things 
grievous  to  us.  We  fhould  neither  fl.ffly  oppofe,  nor 
zealouflv  urge  indifferent  matters  We  ffiouM  not  le- 
verely  animadvert  on  fmaller  faults,  nor  magnify  ac- 
cidental failings  into  htinous  crimes  ;  but  give  every 
one's  condud:  the  mofl  favorable  turn  it  will  bear. 
Such  IS  the  apoftle's  advice.  IVe  that  are  Jirong  ought 
to  bear  the  infirmities  of  (he  iveaky  and  not  to  pkaje  our- 
felves. Let  every  one  of  us  pleafe  his  vutghborfor  his  good 
to  edification.  Him  who  is  zvcak  in  the  faith  receive  ye  ; 
but  not  to  doubtful  dfputation.  Let  us  not  judge  one  ano- 
th  r  ;  but  judge  this  rather^  that  no  inan  put  ajlumbling 
block  in  his  brother's  way.  Be  of  thefamf  mind  one  to- 
zvard  another.  Condefcend  to  men  of  lew  ejtate.  Let  no 
manfeek  his  owHy  but  every  man  a?iother's  wealth.     Fof- 


lozv  the  things  zvbkh  make  for  peace  and  edification.     Let 
all  your  things  be  done  ixiih  chanty, 

4.  The  lad  bianch  of  Chrift.an  fellowfhip  which  I 
Ihall  mention,  is  ttiac  whiCh  ought  to  Uibfift  among 
different  churches  ;  amonj^  all  who,  in  every  place, 
call  on  the  name  of  our  common  Lord. 

As  all  Chriflian  churches  are  united  under,  and  fub- 
jed:  to  one  head,  fo  the\  are  members  one  of  another, 
and  therefore  ou^hi,  like  the  membejsof  the  natural 
body,  to  preferve  a  eci;  rocai  mtercourfe.  The  apof- 
tle  lays,  As  the  body  is  one  and  hath  many  meynhcYs^  and 
all  the  members  of  that  one  btdvy  being  many^  aye  one  body  ; 
fo  alfo  is  Chri/L  For  by  one  fpirit  are  we  all  baptized  into 
one  body^  whether  we  bt  Jews  or  Gmtiles  ;  whtiherwe 
he  bond  orjree.  Care,  therefore,  Ihould  be  laken,  that 
there  hi  no  fchifmy  or  aivfion  in  tht  body ^  but  all  the  7nem~ 
hersfljould  ha^ue  the  fame  care  ont  for  another. 

A  particular  church  ought  to  confider  herfelf,  not 
as  an  unconne(5ted  iociet  ,  out  as  a  part  of  Chnft's 
general  kingdom  :  her  care  muft  not  be  coiihi.ed  to 
herfelf,  but  extended  to  her  filler  churches  :  She  is  to 
feek,  not  m.ereiy  her  own  profit,  but  the  profit  of  many. 

Some  diverfity  of  fentiment  and  pradice  may  take 
place  in  different  churches,  and  yet  all  r<yTiain  true 
churches  of  Chrift  ;  as  there  may  be  divert  opinions 
among  the  members  of  the  f  ime  church,  and  they  ft  ill 
be  real  Chriftians.  We  are  ne  ther  to  rejedt  a  church, 
nor  to  exclude  a  particular  Chnlhan  from  our  fellow- 
fhip, for  fuppofcd  errois,  which  appear  not  to  be  of 
fuch  a  nature  and  magnitude,  as  to  fubvert  thefoun^ 
dationof  Chriftianiry.  Our  apoftle  teaches  us,  *  that 
we  are  to  regard  all  as  our  fellow-chnftians,  and  all 
churches  as  filler-churches,  who,  in  every  place,  call 
on  the  name  of  Jelus  Chrift  our  Lord,  both  theirs  and 
ours  ;  who  profefs  one  body,  one  fpirit,  and  one  hope 


3^ 

of  their  calling  ;  and  who  hold  the  fame  head  from 
which  all  the  body  is  knit  together.'  In  a  word,  he 
cautions  us,  that  *  we  rejedl  not  thofe  whom  God  has 
received.'  If  we  know  a  particular  church,  in  which 
errors  are  admitted,  we  are  to  afford  our  alliftance  for 
her  amendment.  But  fo  long  as  we  believe  God  owns 
her,  by  continuing  to  her  h's  word  and  ordinances, 
and  bledi.ig  them  for  her  fp:  ritual  benefit  ;  it  is  ar- 
rogance— It  IS  impietv,  for  us  to  difown  her.  We 
have  no  warrant  to  withdiaw  our  felloufliip  from  a 
church,  unlefs  flie  has  tflcntiail)  departed  from  the 
gol'pel  ;  or  impolcs  on  us  tern  s  of  fcUcwllup,  which 
we  cannot  in  conlcience  comply  with. 

If  it  be  aikcd,  in  what  a^lions  different  churches 
are  to  have  fellow Ihip  ?  I  aufwer  ; 

They  ought  occafionally  to  commune  with  each 
other  in  the  word,  praver,  and  breaking  of  uread  ;  to 
admit  each  other's  memi^eis  to  occafion;»l  comniunion 
with  them  ;  to  recommend  their  own  members  to 
other  churches,  into  whofe  vicinity  they  may  remove; 
and  to  receive  members  of  other  churches  on  their  re- 
commendation. When  Apollos  paffcd  from  Kphe- 
fus  into  Achaia,  the  brethren  ii»  Epieius  wrote,  to  ihc 
difoples  in  Achaia  to  rece;vc  h  m.  Wnen  Phebe 
went  from  Cenchrea  to  Rome,  Paul  wrote  lo  the  Ro- 
man church,  that  they  Ihould  receive  her  in  ti)e  Lord, 
as  becometh  lamts. 

Churches  are  alfo  to  have  fellowfhip,  by  mutual 
counicl  and  advice,  wheii  dithcyiiies  arife. 

Though  no  church,  or  number  of  churches  have 
an  abfblute  jurifdi(^tion  over  other  churches,  vet  they 
fhouid  always  be  ready  to  afford  help  and  allillance,  at 
the  requefV  of  (iller-churches,  as  occahons  may  require. 
We  find  in  the  hiilory  of  the  \cii,  that  the  church  of 
Antioch,  on  a  duTiculty  which  arofe  there  relating  to 


40 

circumcifion,  fent  Barnabas  and  Paul,  and  certain  oth- 
ers withthem,  to  Jerufalem,  to  confult  the  apoftlesand 
elders  of  he  church  there,  and  to  afk  their  advice  up- 
on the  matter.  When  thofe  meflcngers  from  Anci- 
och  came  ta  Jerulalem,  they  were  received  by  the 
apolUes  and  elders,  and  by  the  church.  And  when 
the  apoftles  had  determined  the  matter  in  queilion, 
they,  together  with  the  church,  fent  mefTengers,  and 
by  theni,a  letter  to  the  Antiochean  and  other  church- 
es in  the  viciniy,  declaring  their  opmion  and  advice 
in  the  cafe  referred  to  them. 

.  This  example,  as  well  as  the  reafon  of  the  thing, 
ihews  the  propriety  and  neceflity  of  miitual  afl^ftance 
among  churches  by  counfel  and  advice,  in  Order  to  the 
common  ediftcadon  and  comfort. 

I  have  now  diftincftly  illuftrated  the  feveral  matters 
propofed  to  vour  conlideiation.  Permit  me,  before  I 
conclude,  to  point  out  to  you  the  proper  improvement 
of  this  fubjed:. 

We  who  have  made  an  open  profelTion  of  religion, 
and  have  joined  ouri'elves  to  the  church  of  God,  with 
an  explicit  engagement  to  walk  together  in  his  com- 
mandments and  ordinances,  are  now  called  upon  to 
contider  the  obligations  we  are  under,  and  the  duties 
efpecially  incumbent  upon  us. 

I.  Let  us  be  well  fettled  in  the  principle::;  of  that 
religion  which  we  profefs. 

We  are  called  into  a  church  ftate,  that,  being  edifi- 
ed in  the  faith  and  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  wc 
may  be  no  more  children,  carried  about  with  every 
wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  flight  of  men,  and  the  cun- 
ning craftinefs  wherewith  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive. 
Jeius  Chrift  is  the  fame  yelterday,  to-day,  and  for 
ever.     His  gofpel  is  ever  the  farce  ;  not  variable  like 


41 

the  humors  and  opinions  of  men.  Therefore,  be  ye 
not  carried  aoout  w  ith  divers  and  ftrange  dodtrines,  as 
if  religion  was  fometimes  one  thing,  and  fcme(imes 
another.  It  is  a  good  thmg  that  the  heart  be  eftablifli- 
ed  with  grace.  We  ought  not  indeed  to  be  ftifFand 
inflexible  in  our  own  fentimenrs  and  ufages,  merely 
becaufe  they  are  our  own.  We  Ihould  give  up  former 
opinions,  and  adopt  others,  when  evidence  is  offered 
fufficient  to  juftify  the  change.  •  But  then  a  licklenefs 
of  temper,  a  verfatility  of  fenciment,  a  difpolition  to 
fall  in  with  every  novel  opinion,  and  to  follow  every 
impulle  of  fancy,  is  utterly  unbecoming  a  Chriflian. 
Such  untleadmefs  indicates  either  the  want  of  compe- 
tent knowledge^  or  the  want  of  any  fixed  principles  in 
religion. 

Amidst  the  various  opinions  which  are  propaga- 
ted and  maintained,  an  honeft  Chnitian  I  am  feniible, 
may  often  be  perplexed  to  determine  what  is  truth. 
But  then,  I  would  obferve,  it  is  by  no  means  neceJTa- 
ry,  that  he  fhould  be  able  to  anfwer  every  argument 
adduced  in  fupport  of  error.  There  are  certain  great 
and  leading  principles,  in  which  every  Chnftian  mufl 
be  fuppofed  to  be  fettled  ;  and  by  thefe  he  may  try  the 
doctrines  propofed  to  him,  and  judge  whether  they 
are  of  God. 

There  are  two  grand  points  which  the  gofpel  al- 
ways keeps  in  view.  One  is  the  indifpeniible  necefTi- 
ty  of  holmefs  in  heart  and  life,  in  order  to  eternal  hap- 
pinefs.  The  oiher  is,  our  entire  dependance  on  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  God,  through  the  Redeemer,  for 
pardon,  fandtification  and  glory.  Every  man,  who 
profefTes  to  be  a  Chriftian,  mufl:  be  fuppofed  to  be  fet- 
tled in  thefe  grand  points.  The  man,  who  imagines 
that  he  is  not  indebted  to,  nor  dependent  on  a  Saviour, 
or  that  there  is  no  need  of  a  conformity  to  his  holy 
pattern  and  precepts,  in  order  to  final  falvarion,  can, 
with  no  confiitency,  pretend  to  be  a  Chriflian. 
F 


42 

All  fuch  doctrines,  as  plainly  contradidl:  either  of 
ihefe  principles  ;  fuch,  on  the  one  hand,  as  exalt  men 
above  a  dependence  on  Jefus  Chrift,  and  the  influences 
of  the  divine  fpirit  ;  and  fuch,  on  the  orher  hand,  as 
confound  ihe  difference  between  virtue  and  vice,  and 
ob(rru^*5t  the  influence  of  ihe  divine  commands,  mull 
be  rcjeded,  whatever  fpecious  arguments  may  be  urg- 
ed in  their  favor. 

2.  Let  us  maintain  a  conftaiit,  devout  attendance 
on  the  appointed  ordinances  of  Chrift. 

If  we  careiefsly  negled:  thefe,  we  contradlcTt  the  de- 
iign  of  a  church,  and  our  own  characier  as  members 
of  It. 

)  Christians  are  bound  to  attend  on  all  ordinances, 

I  one  as  w  ell  as  another.     The  gofpel  makes   no   dif- 

'  tinclion.     The  primitive  Chriftians  continued  ftedfaft 

'  in  the  apoftles'  dod:rine  and  feliowfliip,  and  in  break- 

,  ing  of  bread,  and  in  prayer. 


There  are  among  us  fome,  who  profefs  the  religion 
of  Chrift,  attd  w ho,  by  their  regular  attendance  at  ihe 
fancfuary,as  well  as  by  their  general  converfation,  ex- 

•   prcfs  a  regard  for  the,  reiigion  which  ihey   profefs  ; 

I  but  yet  abfent  themfelves  from  the  Lord's  table. 
Such  was  not  the  pradlice  of  Chriftians  in  the  apoftolic 
times.  The  celebration  of  the  fuppcr  was  then  a  part 
of  the  ftated  v.orftiip  of  the  Lord's  day  ;  and  in  this, 
as  well  as  in  other  parts,  all  pro fellbrs  joined.     They 

"  continued   ftedfaft  in  fellowlhip  with  the  apofties,  as 

'  well  by  breaking   bread,  as  by  prayer   and   docftrine. 

»  The  difcipies  at  Troas,  wc  are  told,  came  together,  on 

,  the  firft  day  of  the  week,  not  only  to  hear  Paul  preach, 

;  but  alfo  to  break  bread. 

I  urge  none  to  come  blindly,  or  againft  'his  con- 
fcience,  to  the  holy  table.     Every  one  muft  judge  for 


43 

himfelf,  and  be  perfuaden  in  his  own  mind.  One  man 
cannot  fee  with  another's  eyes,  nor  act  on  another's 
faith.  But  ihen,  it  is  a  plain  fadl,  Chrill  caUs  all  to 
be  his  difciples,  and  commands  all  his  dilciples  to' 
fliew  forth  his  death  by  an  attendance  on  his  Tupper. 
And,  therefore,  fuch  as  are  hindered  by  fcruples  con- 
cerning iheir  htnefs,  muft  not  make  themfelves  eafy 
with  them,  but  take  pains  for  the  removal  of  them. 
They  rnuft  feek  lighr.  that,  if  they  aie  in  an  error,  they 
may  redlify  it  j  and  ifthev  arc  under  lin,  they  may 
repent  of  it.  They  muft  humby  apply  to  God  for  his 
grace  to  lead  them  into  truth,  and  to  purify  their  fouls ; 
and,  whatever  doubts  they  have  about  a  paiticular  or- 
dinance, they  muft  diligently  attend  on  all  thofe  means 
which  they  think  themfelves  warraiited  to  ufe.  The 
meek  God  will  guide  m  judgment ;  the  meek  he  will 
teach  his  way.' 

3.    We  are  called  to  brotherly  love,  peace  and  unity. 

The  gofpel  urges  love  as  the  bond  of  perfectnefs, 
as  a  virtue  of  the  firft  importance.  Paul,  in  hisepif- 
tles  to  the  churches,  never  forgets  to  recommend  to 
them,  that  they  be  joined  together  in  the  fame  mind- 
that  they  fpeak  the  fame  thmgs — that  they  have  the 
fame  love — that  there  be  no  divifions  among  them — 
that  they  avoid  fuch  as  caufe  divilions  and  offences. 
To  fhew  how  effential  unity  is  to  the  being  of  a 
church,  he  compares  it  to  a  houfehold,  which  fublifts 
by  love,  and  in  v/hich  all  the  members  have  one  inte- 
reft,  and  are  guided  by  one  head — To  a  building,  all 
the  parts  of  which  are  framed  and  compadled  togeth- 
er— To  a  natural  body,  all  whofe  limbs  are  animated 
by  the  fame  vital  principle,  and  feel  for  each  other. 

Brotherly  love  is  an  extejilive  grace.  It  is  not 
confined  to  thofe  of  our  own  fociety  ;  but  reaches  to 
all  Chnftians,  and  Chriftian  focieties  in  every  place. 
The  apoftle  willies  grace  and  j^.eace  to  all,  who,  in  eve- 


44 

ly  place,  call  on  the  name  of  Jefus.  We  are  to  con- 
fider  all  as  our  brethren,  who  apptar  to  hold  theclTen- 
tials  of  the  Chriftian  faith,  and  to  maintain  a  pradice 
agreeable  to  it  ;  and  to  all  fuch  brotherly  love  muft 
extend.  If  our  love  reaches  no  farther  than  to  thofe 
of  our  own  fed:,  oi  thofe  who  ufually  worlhip  with  us, 
it  IS  onl>  a  party-fpirit  ;  it  has  norhmg  of  the  nature 
ofChriilian  love. 

Against  fuch  a  contraded  idea  of  love,  the  apoftle, 
in  our  context,  carefully  guards  us.  *  It  has  been  de- 
clared to  me,'  fays  he,  *  that  there  are  contentions 
among  you.  Everv  one  of  }  ou  fai'h,  I  am  of  Paul, 
and  1  of  ApoUos,  and  1  of  Cephas,  and  I  of  Chrift.' 
They  were  puffed  up  rbr  one  teacher  againft  anether. 
One  admired  this  preacher  ;  another  that ;  and  ano- 
ther a  third;  and,  by  their  party-attachments,  raifed 
troublefome  difputes  and  dangerous  contentions  in 
the  church.  But,  fays  he,  *  Is  Chrift  divided  ?' 
Were  ye  nor  all  ba;  tized  in  his  name  ?  Have  ye  not 
allprofeffed  his  religion  ?  Why  then  run  ye  into  par- 
ties, as  )f  Chrift  was  divided  ?  Was  Paul  crucified  for 
you  .''  Why  fay  ye,  *  we  are  of  Paul  ?'  Do  ye  expedt 
falvation  through  him  ?  He  was  not  crucified  for  aou. 
He  only  preaches  Chrift  crucified  ;  and  Peter  and 
Apollos  do  the  lame.  *  Or  were  ye  baptized  in  the 
name  of  Paul  ?'  Do  ye  imagine  that  baptiim  was  de- 
figncd  to  form  \ou  inio  diftindl  feds  ?  or  that  every 
one  ought  to  follow  the  minifter  who  baptized  him,  in 
nppofition  to  others  ?  And  do  ye  think,  that  ye  ought 
to  love  andefteem,  as  brethren,  thofe  only  who  are  bap- 
tized by  the  fame  apoftle,  or  in  the  fame  place  and 
manner  as  ye  w  ere,  as  if  ye  were  baptized  into  the 
name  of  the  man,  who  baptized  you  ?  No,  ye  were 
baptized  m  the  name  of  Chrift,  and  are  become  mem- 
bers of  his  body,  and,  therefore,  ye  are  the  brethren  of 
all  Chriftians,  by  whomfoever  baptized  ;  for  ye  are 
all  baptized  into  one  body. 


45 

You  fee,  that  baptifm,  a  Chriftian  proftffion,  and  a 
relation  to  a  particular  churchi  are  not  deflgned  to 
unite  one  company  of  Chriftians  here,  and  another 
there,  in  oppolition  to  each  other  .;  but  rather  to  unite 
the  whole  Chriftian  world.  This  t'len,  and  this  o"nly, 
is  true  Chriftian  love,  which  extends  its  good  wiftics 
to  the  whole  houfehold  of  faith  ;  regards,  as  Chrift's 
difciples,  all  who,  in  every  place,  call  on  his  name  ; 
and  purfues,  not  merely  its  own  private  ends,  but  the 
general  intereft  of  Chrift's  kingdom,  and  the  common 
welfaie  of  h>s  fubjeds. 

True  Chriftian  love  to  thofeof  our  own  fociety  can- 
not ftop  fhort  of  a  general  love  of  faints.  The  love  of 
the  brethren,  as  fuch,  is  a  love  of  their  holy  and  virtu- 
ous charadler  ;  and  if,  on  this  account,  we  love  our 
neareft  brethren,  for  the  fame  reafon  we  fliall  iove  all, 
who  exhibit  the  fame  charadler.  The  good  Chriftian 
defires  the  prevalence  of  religion  every  where  :  he 
would  rejoice  that  all  men  were  virtuous  and  happy/ 
He  will  not,  therefore,  purfue  the  religious  intereft  of 
his  own  community,  family  or  perfon,  in  ways  preju- 
dicial to  the  general  interefl  of  religion.  He  wtll  not 
cop.fult  merely  his  own  edification,  or  that  of  thofe 
with  whom  he  is  immediately  connected  ;  but  will 
feek  the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  faved. 

This  love  of  the  brethren  leads  to  a  more  general 
love  of  the  human  race.  Chriftians  are  required 
*  to  add  to  their  brotherly  kindnefs  charity' — *  to  in- 
creale  and  abound  in  their  love  one  toward  another, 
and  toward  all  men. 

One  who  loves  the  brethren,  becaufe  they  have  the 
temper  and  obey  the  laws  of  Chrift,  muft  be  fuppofed 
himfclf  to  have  the  fame  temper,  and  to  obey  the  fame 
laws.  Chrift  exemplified,  and  has  enjoined  a  univer- 
fal  philanthropy.  He  aid  good  to  enemies,  as  well 
as  friends;  he  prayed  for  his   crucifiers,  as  well  as 


46 

for  his  difciplcs  ;  and  he  has  enjoined  on  us  the  fame 
cxtenlive  benevolence. 

Whatever  pretenfions  we  make  to  Chriflian  fel- 
lowfliip,  if  our  love  is  confined  to  any  particular  com- 
inuniry,  or  even  to  Chriliian  profeifors,  and  does  not, 
in  fuitable  ex|;reflions  of  meekncls,  goodnefs  and  mod- 
eration, extend  ufelf  to  others  ;  it  is  not  that  love  of 
the  brethren  v.  hich  Chrirt  enjoins  ;  for  where  is  bro- 
therly kindnefs,  there  will  be  charity.  The  brotherly- 
love,  which  Chrift  has  taught,  will  make  us  meek  and 
gentle  toward  all  men*  It  will  tame  and  foften  the 
paflions,  corrc(it  and  fvveeten  the  temper,  and  difpofe 
us  to  fhevv  kindnefs  toaP  nien,  wliether  they  be  Chrif- 
tians  or  heathens,  good  men  or  linners. 

4,  As  members  of  he  church  of  God,  we  are  called 
to  an  exemplary  l.olinels. 

Christ  gave  himfelf  for  the  church,  that  he  might 
fandify  it,  and  finallv  prefent  it  glorious.  We  are 
called  to  be  faints  ;  feparared  from  the  world,  that 
we  may  be  a  peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  Vvorks  ; 
placed  under  golpel-light,  that  we  may  be  the  chil- 
dren of  God  wichout  rebuke,  in  che  midft  of  a  crook- 
ed and  pervcrfe  nation,  fhining  among  them  as  lights 
in  the  world.  The  honor  of  religion,  and  our  own 
profeilion,  oblige  us  to  walk  circumfpedly  among 
men.  Thofe,  whom  the  apoilles  admitted  to  their 
fellowfliip,  were  exhorted  to 'keep  themfeives  from  an 
untov/ard  generation.  The  loofe  and  unguarded  con- 
verlation  ot  Chriftian  profeffors,  gives  occaiion  to  oth- 
ers to  fpeak  reproachfully  of  religion  itfelf.  They  are, 
therefore,  to  walk  in  wifdom  toward  them  who  are 
without  ;  to  provide  things  honeft  in  the  light  of  all 
men,  that  the  enemies  of  truth  may  be  put  lofilence, 
having  no  evil  thing  to  fay  of  them. 

5.  Let  us  exerclfe  a  mutual  watchfulnefs  in  our 
ChnAian  relation. 


47 

We  arc  called  into  this  relation,  that  we  may  by 
love  ferve  one  another,  and  be  fellow- workers  to  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Let  us  be  ready  to  receive,  as  well 
as  to  give,  counfel  and  reproof,  as  there  is  occaliort  ; 
and  in  this  imperfed  (late  occalions  will  be  frequent. 
Much  allowance  is  indeed  to  be  made  for  human 
weaknefs,  for  mifapprehenfion,  andforwrong  report. 
We  exped  fuch  allowance  from  our  brethren,*  and  they 
are  intitled  to  it  from  us.  Too  great  forwardnefs  to 
remark,  and  too  halty  a  zeal  to  reprove  every  trivial 
fault,  and  every  unguarded  adion  in  our  brethren,  will 
tend  rather  to  vex,  than  reform  ihem  ;  rather  to  hurt 
our  influence,  than  to  mend  their  tempers  Reproof 
is  a  delicate  matter.  It  is  not  to  be  omitted,  uheii 
occalion  calls  for  it  ;  but  it  Ihould  be  gi\en  uith  ten- 
deraefs  and  prudence,  that  it  mia\  be  received  With 
mecknefs  and  graitude. 

6.  Our  fubjed  reminds  us  of  the  duty  which  we 
owe  to  our  youth. 

If  the  children  of  profefling  Chriftians  are  within 
God's  vifible  church,  tbey  are  entitled  to  our  particu- 
lar notice  and  regard.  Though  it  fhculd  be  conceded, 
that  baptifm  denomin^.tes  them  members  of  thecatlio- 
lic  church  only,  and  they  become  not  members  of  any 
local  church,  till,  by  their  own  ad,  they  join  them-  I 
felves  to  if,  yet  there  is  a  duty  which  that  church  pe-  } 
culiarly  owes  to  them,  in  which  they  were  publicly 
given  up  to  God,  of  which  their  parents  are  members, 
and  under  the  immediate  infpedion  of  which  they  live 
and  ad.  If  they  are  members  of  the  church  at  large, 
thofe  Chriftians,  among  whom  providence  places  them, 
and  who  are  witnefTes  of  their  condud,  are  efpecially 
bound  to  watch  over  them. 

We  ought  then  to  admenifh  and  reprove  them, 
whenever  we  fee  them  behave  in  a  manner  unfuitablc 
to  the  relation,  -which  they  bear  to  ChriH  ;  to  rebuke 


48 

their  levity,  impiety  and  profanenefs,  that  we  may  rc- 
flrain  them  from  making  themfelves  vile  5  to  put 
them  in  remembrance  of  the  facred  obligations,  which 
they  are  under  ;  and  call  their  attention  to  that  folemn 
day,  when  every  work  will  be  brought  into  judgment. 

While  they  are  under  the  immediate  government 
of  parentis  or  others,  it  becomes  us,  in  the  mo!>  tender 
and  friendly  manner,  to  give  rhofe,  who  have  the  care 
of  them,  information  of  cheir  milbehavior,  when  it  is 
grofs  and  repeated,  and  appears  to  proceed  from  a  per- 
verfe  difpolition.  -  If  Chriftians  would  ihus  alTift  each 
other  in  the  government  of  their  families,  at  the  fame 
time  exhibiting  an  example  worth)  of  their  charadler, 
much  fervice  might  be  done  to  the  riling  generation, 
and  to  the  general  interefl  of  religion. 

When  youth  have  arrived  to  competent  age,  it 
would  be  proper  that  the  church,  as  a  body,  fhould 
deal  v^ith  them  for  open  immoralities,  obftinately 
perlifted  in  againft  more  private  admonitions  ;  unlefs 
they  difavow  their  relation  to  the  church,  and  her  au- 
thority over  them.  In  this  cafe  fhe  may,  in  a  formal 
manner  cut  them  off  from  among  their  people,  and  de- 
clare them  no  longer  under  her  care. 

7,  Our  fubjedt  defer ves  the  ferious  attention  of  the 
youth. 

My  children  ;  God,  in  his  good  providence,  has 
ordered  the  place  of  your  birth  aiid  education,  under 
the  light  of  the  gofpel,  within  his  church,  and  in  Chnf- 
t^an  families.  The  moft  of  you  have  been  folemnly 
dedicated  to  God  in.baptifm,  and  have  received  the 
vilible  feal  of  his  covenant.  See  then,  that  >ou  walk 
worthy  of  the  privileges  to  which  you  are  born,  and 
of  thecharader  which  you  bear,  as  God's  children,  fet 
apart  to  be  his.  Receive,  with  lilial  reverence  and 
obedience,  the  inftrudions  and  counfels  of  your  pa- 


49 

rents,  who  have  bound  themfelvcs   to  God  for  your 
virtuous  behavior.     Attend  on  the  appointed    means 
of  religious  knowledge,  converfe  wi'.h  the  holy  fcrip- 
tures  and  other  inftrudive  books,  ferioufly  regard  the 
Hated  fervices  of  the  fanduary,  and  endeavor,   in  the 
ufe  cfthefe  advantages,  to  become  wifetofalvation,  and 
tofurnifh  yourfelves  unto  every  good  work'.     As  you 
have   been  confecrated   to  God,  live  to  him.  .  Be  not 
conformed  to  this  worlds  but  be  transformed  by  the  renew- 
ing of  your  minds.     Let  your  hearts  be  impreffed  with 
a  fenfc  of  your  Unful  and  helplefs  condition  ;  look  to 
Jefus  as  the  only  Saviour  of  a  loft  and  guiky  world : 
go  to  God  in  his  name,  and  humbly  implore  the  re- 
newing  and  fandtifying  influences  of  his  holy  fpirit. 
Make  ana6tual  dedication  of  yourfelves  to  God  through 
Jefus  Chrift,  deliberately  refolving  on  a  courfe  of  pure 
religion,  and  let  all  your  converfation  be  as  becomes 
the  gofpel.     Keep  up  a  daily  correfpondence  with  God 
in  fecret.     Think  and  fpeak  of  him  with  reverence, 
detefting   and  avoiding    every  fpccics  of  profanity. 
Ceafe  to  hear  the  inflrudlions  which  caufe  to  err  from 
the   words  of  knowledge.     Entertain   no   licentious 
opinions,  fuch  as  w^ould  encourage  vice  or  pacify  the 
confcience   under  guilt.     Say   to  evil  dOers,  depart 
from  us,  for  we  wdil   keep  the  commandments  of  our 
God.     Flee  youthful  lufls,  and  follow  aflcr  righteouf- 
nefs,  faith,  charity,  peace,  with  them  who  call  on  the 
Lord  our  of  a  pure  lieart.     And  ref!:  not  till  you  have    \ 
adiually  taken  the  covenant-bonds  on  yourfelves,  by  a    i 
public  profellion  of  leligion,  and  have  come  up  to  all    I 
gofpel  ordinances.     Do  not  this  railily  and  thought-   ) 
lefsly,  but   humbly  and  ferioufly  in  the  fear  of  God,    s 
and  in  obedience  to  him.     Think  not  that  you  have  a    \ 
right  to  live  at  large.  You  are  bound  to  confcfs  Chrift 's  ^  i 
name  before   m.en,  and  to  fubmit  to  the  government'  ' 
of  his   church.     It  v/as  foretold  by  the  prophet,   that, 
when  God  fliould  pour  out  lUs  fpirit  on  the  ofi'spring 
of  his  people,  one  would  fay,   1  am  the  Lord's,  and 
G 


so 

.-mother  would  fubfcribe  with  his  hand  to  the  Lord. 

'  Thus  the  church  would  increafe  by  the  acceffion  of  the 
young ;  her  fons  would  come  from  far,  and  her  daugh- 

'- ters  be  nujfedat  her  fide.  You  cannot  be  faid  to 
have  fulfilled  the  obligations  of  your  baptifm,  fo  long 

I  as  you  live  in  a  carelefs  neglect  of  any  of  the  ordinan- 
ces of  Chrift.     There  is  reafon  to  believe,  that,  in  the 

,  inftitution  of  the  fupper,  Chrift  had  a  primary  regard, 
to  the  young,  who  were  always  the  objed:s  of  his  par- 
ticular attention.  This  ordinance  was  inlHtuted  im- 
mediately after  the  celebration  of  ihe  paflbver,  which 
was  a  figure  cf  the  fufFering  Saviour.  In  allufion  to 
that  feftival,  Chrift  is  called  our  paflbver,  facrificed 
for  us.  And  in  alluiion  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
paflbver  was  eaten,  we  are  required  to  keep  the  feafi  of  • 
the  holy  fupper,  7iot  with  the  leaven  of  malice  and 
zvickedtiefsy  but  -with  the  unleavened  bread  ofjinceriiy  and 
truth.  Now  the  fpecial  leafon  afligned  for  the  paflb- 
ver was,  that  when  children  in  time  to  come/hould  enquirey 
what  mean  ye  by  thisfervice  <'  The  parent  might  thence 
take  occafion  to  inftrudl  them,  hoiv  the  Lordjaved  his 
people  from  Egypt.     Accordingly   the  youth  were  to 

j  attend  on  the  paflbver,  in  the  appointed  place,  as  foon 
as  they  were  able  to  bring  an  offering  in  their  hand. 
Now  if  the  fupper  fucceeds  in  the  place  of  the  paflb- 

,  vcr,  wa^  not  this  one  intention  of  it,  that  the  young,  on 
feeing  this  fervice,  might  be  led  to  enquire,  Vv'hat  was 
meant  by  it,  and  thus  open  the  way  for  inftudtion  in 
the  glorious  redemption  by  Jefus  Chrift.  Come  then, 
my  children,  attend  a  feftival  appointed  for  you. 
Here  behold  v.liat  your  affedlionate  Saviour  has  done 
and  fuflered  for  fuch  loft  and  helplefs  creatures  2iS,you. 
Behold,  admire  and  love  ;  fmite  your  hreafts  and  re- 
turn with  new  fentiments  cf  the  evil  of  your  fins,  and 
new  refoluticns  of  future  obedience.  Remember  that 
all  ordinances,  and  this  in  particular,  were  inftituted 
as   means  of  promoting  a    holy   life;  and  let  every 

,  one^  who  ramctb  ihe  name  of  Chrift ^  depart  from  ini^ 
qiiity. 


g.  The  invitation  given  to  the  young  fliall  now  be 
addrefled  to  others.  Come,  join  yourfelves  to  the 
Lord  in  a  perpetual  covenant,  which  fliall  not  be  for- 
gotten. 

The  Son  of  God  has  come  down  from  Heaven,  and 
has  purchafed  a  church  with  his  own  biood.  Here  he 
offers  that  falvation  which  guilty  mortals  need.  He 
prefcribes  the  terms  on  which  it  may  become  yours. 
He  has  appointed  ordinances,  in  the  ufe  of  which  you 
may  be  made  meet  for  the  enjoyment  of  it  in  Heaven. 
He  has  particularly  inftituted  the  ordinance  of  the 
fupper,  to  remind  you  of  his  dying  love,  and  the  rich 
bleffings  purchafed  by  his  blood.  He  has  required 
your  attendance,  to  awaken  your  remembrance  of  him, 
warm  your  love  to  him,  and  ftrengthen  your  faith  in 
him. 

Have  j^u  any  fenfe  of  your  guilt  and  unworthinefs,  and  of  his 
wonderful  goodnefs  and  love  ?  Any  defire  to  become  conformed  to  his 
image,  attempered  to  his  gofpel,  and  entitled  to  his  falvation  ?  Any 
gratitude  to  your  Divine  Eenefador  for  all  the  great  things  which  he 
has  done  and  fuffered  for  you  ?  Any  purpofe  ot  heart  to  honor  and 
obey  your  glorious  Redeemer  and  Lord?  An^'^  concern  to  promote 
peace  and  unity  among  his  difciples,  to  excite  and  encourage  them  r 
love  and  good  works,  and  to  advance  the  general  intereft  ot  his  kinj^  ^ 
dom  ?  Then  come  and  confefs  his  name,  declare  your  regard  to  his^ 
religion,  fubfcribe  with  your  own  hand  to  him,  attend  on  the  ordi- 
nances of  his  houfe,  walk  in  fellowfhip  with  his  profefled  difciples, 
join  your  influence  to  promote  his  caafe,  and  fnew  by  your  holy  con- 
verfation,  that  you  really  believe,  and  heartily  love  the  religion 
which  you  profefs.  ' 

To  conclude,  let  us  all  unite  our  endeavors  to  make  Chrift's  church 
glorious.  Let  us,  as  workers  together  with  Chrlft,  and  with  one 
another,  contribute  in  our  refpec'dve  places,  and  according  to  our 
feveral  abilities,  to  edify  and  enlarge  it.  Let  us  not  content  ourfelves 
with  appearing  as  members  of  the  vifible  church  here  below  ;  but  be 
concerned  to  become  real  members  of  the  invifibie  church  above,  that 
when  the  time  of  our  departure  is  come,  we  may  go  to  Mount  Sion, 
the  city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerufalem,  to  an  innumera- 
ble company  of  angels,  the  fpirits  of  juft  men  made  perfeft,  the  general 
affembly  and  church  of  the  firft-bom,  whofe  names  are  enrolled  in 
Heaven. 


m 


